Impact on blood pressure control of a six-month intervention project

The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of a six-month structured e ducation programme on blood pressure (BP) control inpatients with uncontrol led hypertension. All patients attending the Specialist Hypertension Clinic , University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), between January 4 and Marc h 29,1999, with blood pressure >140/90 mmHg (n=80), were randomly divided i nto Group 1, cases (n=42) and Group 2, controls (n=38). A 40-item pretested questionnaire, administered at the baseline and final visits of both group s, elicited demographic, lifestyle and knowledge data. Group I attended mon thly structured interventions for six months. Except for diastolic blood pr essure among male controls, diastolic blood pressure and systolic blood pre ssure were significantly reduced at the end of the intervention period (p < 0.01). Knowledge improved among the male patients (p < 0.01). Among the fe male patients, activity scores were significantly increased (p<0.01), weigh t (p < 0.05) and BM( (p < 0.05) were significantly reduced There were no di fferences in these variables among the controls. This intervention had a be nefit in blood pressure control.