UAB looking for healthy adults to participate in study on blood pressure

The UAB Division of Rheumatology and Immunology and the Division of Cardiovascular Disease look at effects of Allopurinol in healthy adults age 18-40.

blood pressure tsAn interdisciplinary research study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham is examining the effect of Allopurinol – a common gout medication – in generally healthy adults age 18-40 in a study focused on Serum Uric Acid Reduction to Prevent HypERtension.

“The SURPHER study is looking at healthy adults with borderline high blood pressure to identify if Allopurinol will improve blood vessel function and lower blood pressure,” said Kenneth Saag, M.D., director of the UAB Center of Research Translation. “Study volunteers will help identify possible beneficial effects of this medication for those who have high blood pressure.”

UAB’s divisions of Rheumatology and Cardiology are monitoring participants’ blood pressure during everyday activities over a 14-week study period. All participants will receive Allopurinol for one month at some point during the study. Allopurinol is a medication used primarily to treat excess uric acid in the blood seen in chronic gout.

Information is gathered from an ultrasound, or flow mediated dilatation, blood work and monitoring of ambulatory blood pressure during a 24-hour period. Each participant wears a blood pressure monitor, tracking their blood pressure while they take part in their everyday activities.

SURPHER is recruiting participants age 18-40 who are non-smokers, generally healthy and do not have a history of gout or diabetes. Participants with pre-hypertension or stage I hypertension that are not taking blood pressure medications, except for certain types, can be screened. Eligible study participants are compensated upon completion of the five study visits.

To find out more information on how to participate, call 205-975-7001 or email sbiggers@uabmc.edu.