Hypertension Control Program in Argentina (HCPIA)

Tulane University1,954 enrolled

Overview

The objective of this cluster randomized trial is to test whether a comprehensive intervention program within a national public primary care system will improve hypertension control among uninsured hypertensive patients and their families in Argentina.

Background: Although the efficacy and effectiveness of lifestyle modifications and antihypertensive pharmaceutical treatment for the prevention and control of hypertension and concomitant cardiovascular disease and premature death have been demonstrated in randomized controlled trials, this scientific knowledge has not been fully applied in the general population, especially in low and middle income countries. Objectives: To test whether a comprehensive intervention program within a national public primary care system will improve hypertension control among uninsured hypertensive patients and their families in Argentina Design: Cluster randomized trial Study Participants: 1,890 study participants from 18 primary care clinics within a public primary care network in Argentina will be recruited. Patients with hypertension from the participating clinics, their spouses, and their adult hypertensive family members will be enrolled. Intervention: Nine clinics with approximately 945 participants will be randomly assigned to the comprehensive intervention group and 9 clinics with similar participants to the usual care group. The comprehensive intervention, including health care provider education, a home-based intervention among patients and their families (lifestyle modification and home blood pressure \[BP\] monitoring) delivered by community health workers, and a mobile health intervention, will last for 18 months. Outcomes: BP and other indicators will be measured at baseline and months 6, 12, and 18 during follow-up using standard methods. The primary outcome is a net change in systolic (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) from baseline to month 18 between the intervention and control groups among hypertensive study participants. The secondary outcomes are the proportion of hypertensive patients with adequate BP control (BP\<140/90 mmHg), cost-effectiveness of hypertension control, and net BP changes in normotensive participants.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

1,954

Conditions

Hypertension

Interventions

Comprehensive InterventionBEHAVIORAL

The comprehensive intervention includes physician education, a community health worker home intervention and a mobile health intervention. Please see Arm Description for details.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 21 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria for Clinics: * The clinic is affiliated with the Remediar+Redes program. * The clinic is located in urban poor areas according to the 2010 census data. * The clinic has ≥1000 outpatient visits each month, so that sufficient participants can be recruited. * The minimum distance between the selected clinics will be 10 kilometers to minimize the risk for contamination of the intervention. * Physician visits and essential medications are free of charge to patients under all circumstances. * The clinic has a high number of prescriptions for antihypertensive medications. * The clinic employs community health workers. * The clinic has general practitioners and nurses. * The clinic has a history of good performance in the Remediar+Redes program. * The clinic performs blood draws on patients when appropriate. Inclusion Criteria for Participants: * Patients aged ≥21 years who received primary care from the participating clinics and have hypertension ( SBP ≥140 mmHg and/or DBP ≥90 mmHg on at least 2 separate visits) and their spouses (with or without hypertension) and/or any adult hypertensive family members (age ≥21 years) living in the same household will be included. * Hypertension patients and their spouses and/or family members must be available for the first baseline nurse home visit. * The index patient must have a cell phone that receives text messages. * The family's homes must be located within 10 kilometers from the clinic. Exclusion Criteria for Participants: * Hypertension patients who do not have a spouse or another adult with hypertension in the household. * Plans to move from the neighborhood in the next two years * Pregnant women or women who are planning to become pregnant in the next two years * Persons who are bed-bound * Persons who cannot give informed consent * Persons with an arm circumference \>50 cm

Locations (1)

Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Net change in systolic (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) from baseline to month 18 between the intervention and control groups among hypertensive study participants.

Three BP measurements will be obtained at each data collection visit by study nurses who are masked to clinic assignment. BP will be measured according to a standard protocol recommended by the American Heart Association. The average of the three measurements will be used to compare the change over 18 months between the intervention and control groups.

Time frame: Baseline and 18 months

Secondary Outcomes

Proportion of hypertension control (BP<140/90 mmHg) among hypertensive patients

The proportion of hypertensives with blood pressure control (defined as (BP\<140/90 mmHg or \< 130/80 mmHg if patient has diabetes of CKD) will be compared between the intervention and control group.

Time frame: Baseline and 18 months

Self-reported medication adherence among hypertensive patients

The Morisky scale questionnaire will be administered at baseline and 18 months of follow-up to compare medication adherence between the intervention and control groups.

Time frame: Baseline and 18 months

Cost-effectiveness of the intervention

All resources involved in conducting this comprehensive intervention program, as well as all patient-level costs, will be documented. Primary incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) measure will be cost per mmHg of change in SBP and DBP.

Time frame: Baseline and 18 Months

Net change in systolic (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) from baseline to month 18 between the intervention and control groups among normotensive study participants

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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