title: Examining the Feasibility of a Simple Intervention to Improve Blood Pressure Control for Primary Care Patients.
abstract: Blood pressure control remains a challenge despite the availability of effective antihypertensive agents.
  
  
  
  This pilot study explored the feasibility of a simple, low-resource intervention to improve blood pressure control.
  
  
  
  A convenience sample was drawn of 56 patients with hypertension from a primary care clinic. A preintervention-postintervention delivered by medical assistants involved prompts to providers to address blood pressure control with a visual aid indicating patients' current and target blood pressure in the context of a traffic light.
  
  
  
  Patients showed a significant reduction in mean systolic blood pressure (preintervention, 141.5 mm Hg, vs postintervention, 133.0 mm Hg; P = .002) and mean diastolic blood pressure (preintervention, 83.4 mm Hg, vs postintervention, 80.4 mm Hg; P = .049).
  
  
  
  In this pilot study, we established the feasibility of a brief, simple intervention to improve blood pressure control implemented by existing primary care practice clinical support staff, and preliminary data show that it can be effective in improving blood pressure control.
authors.affiliation: Giang T. Nguyen, MD, MPH, MSCE Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Heather A. Klusaritz, PhD Clinical Instructor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Alison O'Donnell, BA Master in Public Health Student, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Elise M. Kaye, RN Midwifery Student, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Heather F. de Vries McClintock, PhD, MSW, MSPH Postdoctoral Trainee, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Zehra Hussain, MD Medical Resident, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Hillary R. Bogner, MD, MSCE Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
authors.forename: Giang T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Heather A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Klusaritz
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
authors.forename: Elise M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Kaye
authors.forename: Heather F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: de Vries McClintock
authors.forename: Zehra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: Hillary R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Bogner
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011320:Primary Health Care
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents