Using Night-time Blood Pressure to Treat Hypertension

Overview

Objectives: To examine the feasibility of conducting night-time home blood pressure(BP) monitoring (during sleep) and titration of medications in the evening. This will provide data for sample size calculation for the main trial, which will examine whether night-time BP is a better target than conventional daytime BP for hypertension management. Hypothesis to be tested: night-time home BP monitoring(HBPM) and evening drug titration are acceptable to patients; and future main trial is feasible in terms of recruitment/dropout rate/medication adherence. Design and subjects: This pilot randomized-controlled trial will recruit 78 patients with nocturnal hypertension (asleep systolic BP 120mmHg on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring(ABPM)). They will be allocated in 1:1 ratio to have their medication titrated in the evening according to night HBPM (Experimental group) or in the morning according to daytime HBPM (control group) respectively. Instruments: ABPM/HBPM. Interventions: titration of the dose(s) of anti-hypertensive medications in the evening according to night HBPM (experimental group) and in the morning according to daytime HBPM (control group) every 4 weeks. Main outcome measures: ABPM at baseline and at 6 months Data analysis and expected results: The rate of recruitment/dropout and adherence to night HBPM will be presented. The feasibility of HBPM will be assessed by the patients' adherence to HBPM and by patients' interviews. ANCOVA will be used to evaluate whether titration of medication can normalize BP levels. We expect patients to have a high adherence rate and that titration of evening doses of medications will better improve night-time BP on ABPM.