Ps-bpc07-9: blood pressure lowering efficacy of the hypertension education program of the german society of hypertension and prevention

Objective: In 2013 the German Society of Hypertension and Prevention initiated a hypertension education program (HEP) - Mein Blutdruck - OK! (https://www.hochdruckliga.de/hypertonie-schulung-fuer-patienten.html). The objective of this study was to evaluate the blood pressure lowering efficacy of the HEP. Design and method: The HEP consists of 5 modules (blood pressure regulation, non-pharmacological treatment 1 and 2, pharmacological treatment, adherence) of group (4–6 patients) teaching, held by trained physicians and medical staff who underwent a specially designed train the trainer program. Each module consisted of 90 minutes training and patients underwent all 5 modules within 4 weeks. The validation study was performed in 8 hypertension outpatient clinics. Patients with mild (stage 1) hypertension, treated or untreated were included, and pharmacologic antihypertensive treatment was not altered during 6 months. The clinics were randomized to HEP or standard care. Blood pressure was monitored at baseline and after 6 months by standardized office measurements, home measurements (automatic oscillometric device, patients training) and 24 h ABPM. Primary endpoint was an at least 5 mmHg greater reduction of systolic office blood pressure by HEP compared to usual care. Results: 4 hypertension outpatient clinics were randomized to HEP, including 35 patients, 4 hypertension outpatient clinics were randomized to usual care, including 53 patients in the study. ABPM data were available in only 71 out of 88 patients. Data are presented in tables 1 and 2. Conclusion: The HEP resulted in significantly greater reductions of office and home blood pressure values as compared to usual care. The primary endpoint was met. Changes in ABPM daytime means did not differ significantly between groups, possibly due to insufficient available data. These results were obtained in patients with mild hypertension, either treated or untreated, and may differ in patients with severe or resistant hypertension.