Keywords

health outcomes, health promotion, hypertension, primary healthcare, treatment

 

Authors

  1. Nguyen, Giang T. MD, MPH, MSCE
  2. Klusaritz, Heather A. PhD
  3. O'Donnell, Alison BA
  4. Kaye, Elise M. RN
  5. de Vries McClintock, Heather F. PhD, MSW, MSPH
  6. Hussain, Zehra MD
  7. Bogner, Hillary R. MD, MSCE

Abstract

Background: Blood pressure control remains a challenge despite the availability of effective antihypertensive agents.

 

Objective: This pilot study explored the feasibility of a simple, low-resource intervention to improve blood pressure control.

 

Methods: A convenience sample was drawn of 56 patients with hypertension from a primary care clinic. A preintervention-postintervention delivered by medical assistants involved prompts to providers to address blood pressure control with a visual aid indicating patients' current and target blood pressure in the context of a traffic light.

 

Results: Patients showed a significant reduction in mean systolic blood pressure (preintervention, 141.5 mm Hg, vs postintervention, 133.0 mm Hg; P = .002) and mean diastolic blood pressure (preintervention, 83.4 mm Hg, vs postintervention, 80.4 mm Hg; P = .049).

 

Conclusion: In this pilot study, we established the feasibility of a brief, simple intervention to improve blood pressure control implemented by existing primary care practice clinical support staff, and preliminary data show that it can be effective in improving blood pressure control.