title: Reducing risk with e-based support for adherence to lifestyle change in hypertension (REACH): protocol for a multicentred randomised controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Web-based lifestyle counselling designed to improve adherence to self-management behaviours for diet, exercise and medication has been shown to reduce blood pressure (BP). However, the long-term clinical outcome of these interventions is not established. Our aim was to establish whether an e-counselling program is independently associated with improved clinical outcomes over a 12-month period, as defined by the following criteria: (1) reduction of systolic BP, diastolic BP, pulse pressure and associated risk factors for cardiovascular events; and (2) adherence to self-management behaviour (diet, exercise, smoke-free living and prescribed medication).
  
  
  METHODS
  Reducing risk with e-based support for adherence to lifestyle change in hypertension is a two-parallel group, double-blind randomised controlled trial that will utilise a two (Groups: e-counselling vs control) by three (assessment intervals: baseline, 4-month and 12-month outcome) design. BP, lipoprotein cholesterol, physical activity and dietary behaviours and psychological distress will be measured at each assessment. We plan to recruit 528 participants (35-74 years of age) diagnosed with stage 1 or 2 hypertension (systolic BP, 140-180 mm Hg; diastolic BP 90-110 mm Hg) from three major cities (Toronto, London, Vancouver) and one rural area (Grey Bruce region) across Canada between February 2012 and July 2015. Controls will receive general educational e-messages on heart healthy living and the e-counselling group will receive tailored e-messages that are matched to their stage of readiness for change. For both groups, e-messages will be sent proactively on a weekly basis during months 1-4, then bi-weekly during months 5-8 and then monthly during months 9-12.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Ethical approval has been obtained from all recruitment sites. This will be one of the first studies to evaluate the long-term efficacy of preventive e-counselling strategies for cardiovascular disease prevention in patients with hypertension. Findings from this study will be used to guide the ongoing development of e-counselling services.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Clinicaltrial.gov NCT01541540; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01541540.
authors: Behavioural Cardiology Research Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Robert P
authors: RP
authors: Nolan
authors: Sam
authors: S
authors: Liu
authors: Ross
authors: R
authors: Feldman
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Dawes
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: Barr
authors: Hazel
authors: H
authors: Lynn
authors: Femida
authors: F
authors: Gwardy-Sridhar
authors: Scott G
authors: SG
authors: Thomas
authors: Jack
authors: J
authors: Goodman
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Oh
authors: Janusz
authors: J
authors: Kaczorowski
authors: Caroline
authors: C
authors: Chessex
authors: Vladimir
authors: V
authors: Hachinski
authors: Kevin
authors: K
authors: Shoemaker
keywords: Preventive Medicine
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