Edinburgh Napier University

  Background
Hypertension is generally poorly controlled in primary care. One possible intervention for improving control is the harnessing of patient expertise through education and encouragement to challenge their care.


Aim
To determine whether encouraging patients to manage their hypertension in an ‘expert’ manner, by providing them with information in a clear clinical guideline, coupled with an explicit exhortation to become involved in and to challenge their own care if appropriate, would improve their care.


Design of study
Single blind randomised controlled trial of detailed guideline versus standard information.


Setting
Single urban general practice over 1 year.


Method
Patient-held guideline with written explicit exhortation to challenge care when appropriate. Two hundred and ninety-four of 536 eligible patients on the practice hypertension register were recruited, all of whom were randomised into one of two groups. Two hundred and thirty-six patients completed the study.


Results
Primary outcome: average systolic blood pressure. Secondary outcomes: proportion of patients with blood pressure