Recruiting

Testing arm pressure cycles to protect heart attack patients in Africa

Plain-English translation of NCT04813159 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated April 2025 · Translation generated June 2026 · How we translate trials

This study doesn't follow the usual testing phases — it may be an observational study or a different type of research.

What is this trial?

This trial is testing remote ischaemic conditioning (RIC), a non-invasive technique where an automated blood pressure cuff on your arm is briefly inflated and deflated in cycles. Researchers want to see if this simple procedure, applied during the first days after a heart attack, can help protect your heart and prevent death or heart failure. The trial is specifically focused on African patients who receive clot-busting medication as their primary treatment.

Previous large trials of this treatment in European patients didn't show clear benefits, possibly because those patients received advanced interventional procedures and had lower risk. This trial tests whether the treatment works better in higher-risk patients treated primarily with medication, such as those in African hospitals where resources may differ.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are at least 18 years old
you have been diagnosed with an ST-elevation heart attack (STEMI) and present to the hospital within 24 hours of your worst chest pain
you are receiving or eligible to receive clot-busting medication (thrombolysis) as your primary treatment
you can provide signed informed consent to participate
you are being treated at one of the participating hospital sites in Africa

You likely don't qualify if…

you have very severe skin disease, burns, or amputations on both arms that would prevent the blood pressure cuff from being placed safely
you are in cardiogenic shock or have dangerously low blood pressure (below 90 mm Hg) with signs of organ damage
you have evidence of acute circulation problems in your arms or active gangrene
you have been scheduled for an advanced catheter-based procedure (primary PCI) instead of medication-based treatment
you have a serious condition with a life expectancy of less than 24 hours

What participation looks like

If you qualify for the main trial, you will be randomly assigned to receive either the active treatment or a sham (fake) treatment that looks identical. The procedure involves having an automated blood pressure cuff placed on your upper arm, which will inflate to a specific pressure and then deflate in four 5-minute cycles. This will be done once on the day you are treated for your heart attack and then repeated daily for the next 2 days. If you present to the hospital more than 24 hours after your heart attack, you may still participate in an observation-only arm where your health outcomes are tracked but you don't receive the experimental treatment.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 2, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(20 sites)

Kenya

Coast General Teaching Hospital, Mombasa, Mombasa County

Mombasa Hospital, Mombasa, Mombasa County

Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Nairobi County

Nairobi West hospital, Nairobi

Mozambique

Hospital Central de Mpauto, Maputo