The Influence of Cardiorespiratory Fitness on Firefighter Cardiovascular Health Under Exercise Conditions (FIT & FIRED UP)
Cardiovascular Diseases, Post-Exercise Hypotension
About this trial
This is an interventional health services research trial for Cardiovascular Diseases focused on measuring Firefighters, Post-Exercise Hypotension, Cardiovascular Disease
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Subjects had to be full active duty firefighters employed by the local fire department in central Connecticut (CT).
- Subjects confirmed that they were taking the same medication for four weeks prior to Visit 1 and continued taking that medication throughout the duration of the study.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Subjects were excluded from the study if they were not able to comply with all study procedures as described in Visit 1, or in the event of injury or illness that would not enable them to participate.
- If subjects had resting blood pressure readings that were > 160 for systolic blood pressure and/or ≥ 100 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure, they were excluded from the study and referred to their primary care physician for follow up.
- Subjects that were excluded from the study were not penalized in any way by the researchers or the administrators of the local fire department.
Sites / Locations
- Hartford Hospital
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
No Intervention
GEST Visit
CONTROL Visit
As described in the detailed study description, the GEST Visit included measures of cardiovascular health at Hartford Hospital. These measures included BMI, waist circumference, exhaled carbon monoxide (CO), vascular health (i.e., carotid intimal medial thickness and arterial stiffness), HRV, resting BP, the GEST, and blood draws pre- and post-GEST to obtain SCD and CVD biomarkers.
On either Visit 3 or 4, subjects performed the CONTROL Visit. Resting auscultatory blood pressure was measured according to AHA standards. At the conclusion of CONTROL, subjects were fitted for the ABP monitor. Subjects were instructed to proceed with normal activities, not to exercise, and to keep their arm still and extended at their side when each ABP measurement was being taken. Subjects carried a standard journal, recording activities performed during each measurement, any unusual physical or emotional events, and sleep and wake times. The following morning, subjects detached the monitor and returned it that day to the study investigators.