Singing and Cardiovascular Health in Older Adults

Cardiovascular Diseases Clinical Trial

Official title: Evaluating the Impact of Singing Interventions on Markers of Cardiovascular Health in Older Patients With Cardiovascular Disease

Status Active, not recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) claims more lives each year than cancer and chronic respiratory disease combined. Participation in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) reduces mortality and risk of a major cardiovascular event in secondary prevention populations, including older adults. Older adults are less likely to participate in CR, as comorbidities in this population, including arthritis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, make participation difficult. Singing is a physical activity that involves components of the vagal nerves manifested as changes in cardiac autonomic regulation. Unlike physical exercise, the effects of singing on cardiovascular health has not been well-studied. The hypothesis for this project is that older patients with CVD will have favorable improvement in cardiovascular biomarkers, including, endothelial function and heart rate variability (HRV), after 30 minutes of singing.

Clinical Trial Description

This proposal seeks to create, optimize and test two different singing interventions in older patients with CVD. The study will consist of three arms, according to a randomized, single-blind, crossover, sham procedure-controlled design. Sixty-five total participants will each have three visits on three different occasions for the following interventions:

1. a 30-minute period of guided singing from an in-person music therapist

2. a 30-minute period of singing along to an instructional video including a professor of voice and "inexperienced, older singing student"

3. a 30-minute sham intervention (subjects will undergo a hearing test)

The goal will be to determine which singing intervention, if any, is superior to the other - as this would be important to guide longer and larger clinical trials in the field. Knowledge gained from this proposal will improve understanding of biologic mechanisms of singing behaviors, as it relates to CVD. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Cardiovascular Diseases
• Cardiovascular Health
• Cardiovascular Risk Factor

• NCT number: NCT04121741
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Medical College of Wisconsin
• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: January 17, 2020
• Completion date: September 30, 2024