A Pilot study Evaluating a Community-based Intervention Focused on the ISHIB IMPACT Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Toolkit in African American Patients with Uncontrolled Hypertension

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate blood pressure (BP) control utilizing the International Society on Hypertension in Blacks (ISHIB) cardiovascular risk reduction toolkit in an African American community with uncontrolled hypertension.

METHODS: This is a randomized controlled pilot study conducted in two Baltimore community-based physicians' offices assigned adults (18-64 years) with uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure [SBP] ≤ 169 mm Hg; diastolic blood pressure [DBP] ≤ 109 mm Hg). The study compares usual care to a community-based intervention. In the usual care group, the patients' BP was managed by the treating physician based on their normal office patient care protocol. In the intervention group, usual care was provided but, a community health worker also gave comprehensive education and assessment to the patients based on the ISHIB IMPACT cardiovascular toolkit during study initiation and follow-up visits. The main outcome of study was change in BP from baseline to six months. A secondary outcome was the proportion of patients achieving BP <135/<85 mm Hg at six months.

RESULTS: Fifty-four African American patients were enrolled; 37 completed six months of follow-up (usual care, n = 25; intervention, n = 12). At six months the mean (95% CI) change from baseline in SBP was significantly greater in the intervention group vs the usual care group: -34.75 (-46.55 to -22.95) mm Hg vs -5.65 (-12.84 to 1.54) mm Hg (P <.001). Mean (95% CI) change in DBP from baseline to six months was significantly greater for the intervention group vs the usual care group: -16.19 (-24.00 to -8.39) mm Hg vs -4.36 (-8.26 to -0.46) mm Hg (P = .009). Median change in BP was significantly greater for SBP in the intervention group compared with the usual care group (P = .007), but not for DBP (P = .197). The proportion of patients achieving BP <135/

CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study on the ISHIB IMPACT toolkit in managing uncontrolled hypertension in the African American community suggests better control of systolic BP and a tendency to better hypertension control with the community-based intervention. The findings support further studies in clinical settings serving African American hypertensive patients to assess effectiveness of approaches for improving BP control and related outcomes.