An active living intervention designed by people with PoTS, for people with PoTS

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS) can seriously effect well-being and quality of life, due to its many disabling symptoms. The condition mostly (but not only) affects women aged 13 to 50. People with PoTS have an abnormal heart rate rise when they stand up, with symptoms including palpitations, dizziness, fainting, and long-lasting fatigue. Attending education, earning a living, and caring for dependants can be severely affected, and the impact on the healthcare system is significant.

Medical treatment is not always effective for PoTS, but active living interventions like exercise may help some people. We aim to find out if people with PoTS will enrol on, and complete, a supervised exercise programme. First, we will run discussion groups with people affected by PoTS, to help us better understand their needs, and refine an exercise intervention. At two hospitals, we will then invite people with PoTS onto a study comparing a supervised exercise and motivational support intervention, with usual care (no supervised exercise). We will test whether people want to be involved, can tolerate the exercise, and if symptoms and quality of life improve over time.

Funding

British Heart Foundation Project Grant (PG/19/22/34203): £190,405 awarded to Coventry University April 2019.

Dates

Begin: September 2019

End: August 2022

Study Locations

1. University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust

2. Imperial College London NHS Trust