A Study in the Use of Home Blood Pressure Monitoring and Telephone Follow-up to Control Blood Pressure

Participants will all have home blood pressure monitors, education session on controlling their blood pressure and will be randomized to recieve 6 months of intensive telephonic on a set monitoring schedule or no telephonic follow up. Phone calls will be weekly for 4 weeks, then every 2 weeks for 8 weeks then monthly for 3 months.

Inclusion criteria

• diagnosed with essential hypertension
• systolic blood pressure >140 mm Hg (130 if diabetic) OR diastolic blood pressure > 90 mm Hg (80 if diabetic)on at least 2 clinic visits prior to randomization
• BP at time of screening is > than systolic 140 (130 if diabetic) or diastolic 90 (80 if diabetic)
• patient is prescribed at least 1 antihypertensive medication
• Patient is fluent in English
• Patient is easily accessible by telephone

Exclusion criteria

• persons with stage 4 or 5 chronic kidney disease or end stage renal disease on dialysis
• Patients with a terminal illness
• Patients with severe dementia or serious mental illness
• Inability to preform self blood pressure monitoring
• Patient lacks a functioning home phone or personal cellular phone
• Pregnant or planning to get pregnant
• Arm circumference exceeds the allowable limit on the largest home BP monitor cuff