Evaluation of the Valsalva Assist Device to treat SVT [EVADE SVT]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluation of Pre-hospital use of a Valsalva Assist Devise (VAD) in the Emergency treatment of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). A stepped-wedge cluster randomised controlled trial [EVADE SVT]
IRAS ID
287604
Contact name
Andrew Appelboam
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
South Western Ambulance Service NHS foundation Trust
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN16145266
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
A common heart problem called Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) can cause the heart to suddenly start beating very quickly, causing palpitations and making patients feel unwell. People with an episode of SVT are often seen by the ambulance service and paramedic guidelines recommend a simple, safe, physical treatment called the ‘Valsalva manoeuvre’ (VM) to get the heart beat back to normal.
This involves a strain whilst blowing (like inflating a stiff balloon), normally done by blowing into an empty syringe. If the manoeuvre is successful, patients (who are usually otherwise well) feel immediately better and do not always need to be taken to hospital.
Unfortunately, the VM often doesn't work and so most patients are currently taken to hospital and may need strong, unpleasant drugs to correct their heart beat. However, blowing into a simple, easy to use, safe and approved device, the Valsalva Assist Device (VAD), might help patients do a better VM and avoid emergency hospital admission. Patients, who have helped design and run this study, tell us they really value feeling better as soon as possible and avoiding hospital if not needed.
In this study, we plan to introduce the device into normal ambulance service care, to see if this can reduce the number of SVT patients who are taken to hospital. Only patients who are treated with a VM will be included and only routine, anonymous data collected. It is just the way in which the VM strain is being done that will change; the rest of the patients' care will be as normal. However, we will tell patients about the study after they have been treated, including how to opt out of having their data used should they wish, and give them further information about their condition and an option to tell us how it affects them.
REC name
South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/SC/0032
Date of REC Opinion
11 Mar 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion