Improving Care for Patients With High Blood Pressure

Heart Healthy Lenoir: Improving Care for Patients With High Blood Pressure

The investigators are conducting a single group intervention study to improve blood pressure control and reduce racial and literacy related disparities among people with hypertension. The intervention includes providing patients with home blood pressure monitors, administering phone-coaching to participants, and improving hypertension care at the participating practices from which patients are enrolled. The investigators will follow the patients for 2 years to determine if blood pressure control improves. In addition, the project will explore genetic factors associated with cardiovascular disease risk and treatment success.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Men and women who meet the following inclusion criteria will be eligible for study participation:
• 18 years or older,
• Able and willing to give informed consent,
• A current patient of 1 of the 5 participating practices,
• Have a current diagnosis of hypertension by their primary care physician or have 3 documented blood pressures above 150/90,
• Their most recent systolic blood pressure was greater than or equal to 150 at their most recent clinic visit,
• Receive physician approval to participate in the study.
• Anyone enrolled in the High Blood Pressure study is eligible to participate in the genomics component of the project.

Exclusion Criteria:

• non-English speaking,
• current treatment of psychosis,
• diagnosed with advanced dementia as determined by the clinician,
• current substance abuse,
• lack of phone access,
• history of malignancy, other than non-melanoma skin cancer, that has not been in remission or cured surgically for > 5 years,
• estimated creatinine clearance less than 30 ml/min (because hypertension management becomes more complicated at this point),
• are pregnant.