An interventional study of Exercise Training (Isometric Handgrip Exercise) in Hypertension, sponsored by Swansea University. Recruiting at 1 site in United Kingdom. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-06.
Sponsored by Swansea University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Among 222 studies in Hypertension with a site in United Kingdom — 34 open to participants now, 42 under way, 7 of them phase 3. Hypertension · United Kingdom.
Among the 222 studies in Hypertension with a site in United Kingdom, this one is the 124th largest by planned enrollment of the 171 interventional ones that give a count, is one of 8 that started in 2024, is one of 73 with no phase, reaches primary completion later than 31 of the 41 other live ones, and was the 198th registered.
6,114 studies on the registry are indexed under Hypertension; 912 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 45 is below the median of 100 across 4,575 interventional studies indexed under Hypertension.
Browse Hypertension studies →34 of the 222 studies in Hypertension with a site in United Kingdom are open now, in 12 countries. Each count lists the studies.
Of the 564 Hypertension studies recruiting now, 266 (47%) set no upper age limit and 200 (35%) stop at 75 or younger; 40 take children under 18; 138 take healthy volunteers.
This study: 18 Years to 65 Years · all sexes · no healthy volunteers.
The full table on the hub →222 studies; the count open now beside each. This study's row is marked.
First in 1997; this study’s year is marked. 8 started in 2024.
Median enrollment 125 across the 171 interventional studies, 200 across the 50 observational. Of the 156 that completed or were terminated, 52 (33%) have results posted.
96 of 222 have an industry lead sponsor. The 10 most frequent:
Swansea University is the lead sponsor of 41 studies on the registry; 5 are open to participants now.
Swansea University has 1 study filed under Hypertension — fewer than ten, so there is no comparison to draw.
11 of the studies in Hypertension with a site in United Kingdom that are under way reach primary completion within a year, 1 of them phase 3. Phase 3 first, then by date:
| Study | Primary completion |
|---|---|
| NCT03683186Phase 3United TherapeuticsA Study Evaluating the Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Ralinepag in Subjects With PAH Via an Open-Label Extension | 2026-12 |
| NCT06059638Orchestra BioMed, IncBradycArdia paCemaKer With AV Interval Modulation for Blood prEssure treAtmenT | 2026-12 |
| NCT07222917AstraZenecaA Phase IIb Study to Evaluate the Effect of Dapagliflozin in Combination With Baxdrostat Compared With Baxdrostat on Albuminuria in Participants With Chronic Kidney Disease and High Blood Pressure. | 2026-12-10 |
| NCT07294794University of BirminghamPersonalised Pharmacometabolomic-guided Strategy Trial to Optimise Treatment for Hypertension | 2026-12-31 |
| NCT06823115Indiana UniversityAssessment of Worldwide Acute Kidney Injury Epidemiology in Neonates 2.0 | 2027-01 |
Among the 222 studies in Hypertension with a site in United Kingdom, from their registry updates:
Hypertension is the most important cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke, and premature death (WHO, 2021). It is estimated by The World Health Organisation in 2021 that 1.4 billion individuals across the globe have high blood pressure, with only 14% of people actively managing these elevated levels. Simple and effective lifestyle strategies are required to help people improve their blood pressure and/or attenuate increases in blood pressure with ageing. Physical activity is one possible strategy: in previous research, several different types of physical activity have been shown to have beneficial effects on blood pressure (Blackwell et al., 2017). However, many individuals do not adhere to currently recommended levels of physical activity (150 mins of moderate intensity physical activity per week), due to a combination of the required time commitment, lack of motivation, and the associated levels of effort, exertion, and physical discomfort (Korkiakangas et al 2009). Thus, there is a need to identify alternative exercise interventions which will overcome these barriers but remain effective at improving blood pressure (Herrod, Lund, \& Phillips, 2021, Toohey et al, 2018).
Low intensity isometric hand grip exercise training (IET) has been shown to result in large decreases in resting blood pressure in younger and older age groups, in both men and women, and in individuals with normal as well as elevated baseline blood pressure (Badrov et al, 2013; Bentley et al., 2018; Millar et al., 2014). In this research, IET has almost universally involved performing 4 x 2 IET holds at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction, 3 times a week, over a 4-8-week intervention (Millar et al, 2014). There are very few studies that have investigated the effect of changing different protocol parameters on changes in blood pressure and vascular health, and the minimal effective dose of IET is unknown. Defining the minimal effective dose of different types of exercise may help overcome key barriers to exercise by lowering the required time commitment, reducing perceived effort/exertion, and promoting more positive affective responses. One important modifiable parameter is training frequency and it is unknown whether reducing the frequency of IET will reduce the efficacy for improving blood pressure.
Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to determine if reducing the frequency of isometric handgrip training from four times a week to two times a week will affect the improvements in resting blood pressure and vascular health in people with hypertension. A secondary objective is to investigate the acute affective and perceptual responses to sessions of IET and the effect of training on these acute affective/perceptual responses.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe out, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe out, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants will be asked to maintain their normal lifestyle patterns (i.e. diet and physical activity) and will undergo no other intervention.
Participants will complete 6-weeks of supervised isometric handgrip exercise training with a frequency of two sessions/week
Other: Exercise Training (Isometric Handgrip Exercise)
Participants will complete 6-weeks of supervised isometric handgrip exercise training with a frequency of four sessions/week
Other: Exercise Training (Isometric Handgrip Exercise)
Participants allocated to the exercise groups will complete 6 weeks of isometric handgrip exercise training (IHGT) using an electronic hand dynamometer (Camry EH101, Zhongshan Camry Electronic Co. Ltd, Guangdong) for either 2 or 4 sessions per week. Each exercise session will consist of 4 x 2-minute isometric contractions at 30% MVC with 1 minute rest periods between contractions. The first bout will be performed on the dominant arm and then the arm will be alternated for each subsequent two-minute bout. Participants will be instructed to try keep the contraction tension as close as possible to the set tension of 30% MVC using visual feedback from the dynamometer's electronic display.
Office measured supine and seated systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure
Office measured supine and seated systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure will be measured at baseline and 3 days following the final exercise session
Time frame: 6 weeks
Office measured central systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure
Office measured central systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure will be measured at baseline and 3 days following the final exercise session
Time frame: 6 weeks
24-h mean ambulatory systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure
24-h mean ambulatory systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure will be measured at baseline and 3 days following the final exercise session
Time frame: 6 weeks
Daytime ambulatory systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure
Daytime ambulatory systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure will be measured at baseline and then 3 days following the final exercise session
Time frame: 6 weeks
Sleeping ambulatory systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure
Sleeping ambulatory systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure will be measured at baseline and then 3 days after the final exercise session
Time frame: 6 weeks
Carotid-Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity
Carotid-Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity will be measured at baseline and then 3 days after the final exercise session
Time frame: 6 weeks
Affective Valence (Feeling Scale)
Affective valence will be measured at regular intervals during the isometric handgrip exercise sessions. Ratings will be collected during the first session and then during the final session of each training week.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Ratings of perceived exertion
Ratings of perceived exertion will be measured at regular intervals during the isometric handgrip exercise sessions. Ratings will be collected during the first session and then during the final session of each training week.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Mar 2024 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Mar 2028, 48 months after the start.
Of 1,403 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Hypertension, half reached primary completion within 23 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 10 and three quarters within 41. This study's planned 48 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 1,498 studies reached it within 23 months; a quarter within 10 and three quarters within 41.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
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Swansea University