Technology for Innovative Monitoring of Cardiovascular Prevention: a RCT

Summary

National and international guidelines that guide evidence-based clinical practice advocate an effort to improve blood pressure control based on changing lifestyle and use of blood pressure lowering medication. However, the effectiveness of the approach usually depends on patient adherence to both types of interventions - pharmacological and behavioral. Lack of success on blood pressure control has increased the scope of interventions to improve adherence and to reduce cardiovascular risk factors without overburdening the public health system. The use of technologies - mobile or smart phones, games, blogs, internet and video conferencing - to implement interventions can reduce costs and increase coverage.

Interactive interventions have been associated with a reduction in systolic blood pressure of 3-8 mmHg in patients with hypertension. These interventions were individually tailored to patient specificities and involved self-monitoring of blood pressure and lifestyle changes, including regular physical activity, DASH diet, restriction of dietary salt intake, and weight control. However, the effectiviness of these interventions may have short half-lives without periodic reinforcement, either to adhere to pharmacological treatment or behavioral changes. Innovative technologies can be used to achieve lasting effect and even greater blood pressure reduction.

Therefore, the purpose of this study is to compare effectiveness of four strategies to reduce blood pressure and improve lifestyle.

Conditions

• Blood Pressure, High
• Prehypertension

Interventions

DEVICE

TELEM

Participants in the telemonitoring home blood pressure (TELEM) group will receive an oscillometric monitor to measure blood pressure at home for six months. Measurements will be made early in the morning (5:00 to 10:00) and in the evening (18:00 to 21:00) for at least five days a week (including one day during the weekend). Each blood pressure measure will be sent to the center of the study coordination center through software downloaded on the participant's smartphone.

DEVICE

TELEMEV

In the lifestyle telemonitoring group (TELEMEV), participants will receive customized standardized text messages to stimulate lifestyle changes and adherence to blood pressure lowering medication. The messages will be focused on the adoption of DASH diet, sodium restriction, increase of physical activity, weight control and adherence to drug treatment. They will be sent out on four of the five days of the week at random times. The messages will be sent to the smarphones through a software developed for this study.

DEVICE

TELEM-TELEMEV

Participants in the TELEM plus TELEMEV (TELEM-TELEMEV) will receive both interventions as previously described.

OTHER

UCT

Participants in the control group will receive usual clinical treatment (UCT) on pre-scheduled visits, but will not receive any technological tool to stimulate blood pressure control or lifestyle modification.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

  collaborator OTHER

• Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Sandra C Fuchs · HCPA, UFRGS

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

30 Years

Max Age

75 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2017-01-31

Primary Completion

2019-02-28

Completion

2019-02-28

Countries

• Brazil

Study Locations