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Beta-Blocker

Propranolol for Cardiovascular Disease

Phase 4
Recruiting
Led By Keely Muscatell, PhD
Research Sponsored by University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Ages 18-30 years
Be between 18 and 65 years old
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up post-drug baseline to 90-minutes post-stress task (t-90)
Awards & highlights
Drug Has Already Been Approved
Pivotal Trial

Summary

This trial aims to understand how stress affects inflammation in the body, potentially leading to heart disease. This information may help in developing new treatments to lower the risk of cardiovascular problems.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for right-handed, English-fluent individuals aged 18-30 with a BMI of 35 or less. It's not for those with certain physical illnesses like heart conditions, high blood pressure, diabetes, autoimmune diseases; metal implants; current prescription medication users; pregnant women; severe claustrophobics; or regular nicotine/drug users.
What is being tested?
The study investigates how the beta-blocker Propranolol affects stress-related inflammation and neural responses that could influence cardiovascular disease risk. Participants will be randomly given either Propranolol or a placebo to compare effects.
What are the potential side effects?
Propranolol can cause side effects such as slower heart rate, fatigue, dizziness, and gastrointestinal discomfort. The severity of these side effects varies from person to person.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below
Select...
I am between 18 and 30 years old.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~post-drug baseline to 90-minutes post-stress task (t-90)
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and post-drug baseline to 90-minutes post-stress task (t-90) for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary study objectives
Change in levels of inflammatory gene expression in response to social stress
Change in levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 in response to social stress

Awards & Highlights

Drug Has Already Been Approved
The FDA has already approved this drug, and is just seeking more data.
Pivotal Trial
The final step before approval, pivotal trials feature drugs that have already shown basic safety & efficacy.

Trial Design

2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Placebo Group
Group I: PropranololExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Propranolol tablet, 40mg, one-time, orally
Group II: PlaceboPlacebo Group1 Intervention
Encapsulated placebo tablet
Treatment
First Studied
Drug Approval Stage
How many patients have taken this drug
Propranolol
2010
Completed Phase 4
~1290

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

University of California, Los AngelesOTHER
1,566 Previous Clinical Trials
10,266,942 Total Patients Enrolled
Dartmouth CollegeOTHER
86 Previous Clinical Trials
1,419,616 Total Patients Enrolled
University of North Carolina, Chapel HillLead Sponsor
1,561 Previous Clinical Trials
4,299,850 Total Patients Enrolled
~80 spots leftby May 2026
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