Head-Down tilt may stop blood pressure crash during anesthesia in seniors

NCT ID NCT06968091

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: Zhejiang Cancer Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study tested whether tilting elderly patients head-down at a 10-degree angle during the start of anesthesia could prevent dangerously low blood pressure. Researchers compared this position to lying flat in 168 patients aged 65-90 having abdominal surgery. The main goal was to see if the head-down tilt reduced the time blood pressure stayed too low in the first 15 minutes after anesthesia.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Trendelenburg positioning (tilting the body head-down at a 10-degree angle)
What this could lead to: If effective, this simple head-down tilt could become a standard, low-cost way to prevent dangerous drops in blood pressure when elderly patients are put to sleep for surgery.
What could go wrong: This is a completed, moderate-sized trial, but the effect may be modest or not apply to all elderly patients. The head-down position also has risks (e.g., breathing or brain pressure issues) that limit who can use it.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

hypotensive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

HYPOTENSION ON INDUCTION OLD AGE

Contacts and locations

Locations

Zhejiang cancer hospital

Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.