Dataset Information

Impact on hypertension control of a patient-held guideline: a randomised controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

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 < 150 mmHg systolic and < 90 mmHg diastolic, average cholesterol, proportion of patients prescribed statins and aspirin according to guideline, hospital anxiety and depression score. No clinically, or statistically significant differences were found between intervention and control with respect to all parameters or in anxiety and depression levels. Statin and aspirin use improved throughout the course of the study in both groups. Statin use showed a trend (P = 0.02) in favour of control.

Conclusion

In this study there was no clinically significant perceived benefit to patients as a result of providing them with a hypertension guideline. Patient guidelines are currently planned for many chronic illnesses. It is important to determine the utility of such interventions before scarce resources are applied to them.

SUBMITTER: McKinstry B

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1927092 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:There are no universally accepted guidelines for the follow-up of individuals with cutaneous melanoma. Furthermore, to date, there have been no randomised controlled trials of different models of melanoma follow-up care. This randomised controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of GP-led melanoma follow-up on patient satisfaction, follow-up guideline compliance, anxiety and depression, as well as health status.A randomised controlled trial of GP-led follow-up of cutaneous melanoma was conducted over a period of 1 year with assessment by self-completed questionnaires and review of general practice-held medical records at baseline and 12 months later. It took place in 35 general practices in North-east Scotland. Subjects were 142 individuals (51.4% women 48.6% men; mean (s.d.) age 59.2 (15.2) years previously treated for cutaneous melanoma and free of recurrent disease. The intervention consisted of protocol-driven melanoma reviews in primary care, conducted by trained GPs and supported by centralised recall, rapid access pathway to secondary care and a patient information booklet. The main outcome measure was patient satisfaction measured by questionnaire. Secondary outcomes were adherence to guidelines, health status measured by Short Form-36 and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.There were significant improvements in 5 out of 15 aspects of patient satisfaction during the study year in those receiving GP-led melanoma follow-up (all P<or=0.01). The intervention group was significantly more satisfied with 7 out of 15 aspects of care at follow-up after adjustment for potential confounders. There was significantly greater adherence to guidelines in the intervention group during the study year. There was no significant difference in health status or anxiety and depression between intervention and control groups at either baseline or outcome.GP-led follow-up is feasible, engenders greater satisfaction in those patients who receive it, permits closer adherence to guidelines and does not result in adverse effects on health status or anxiety and depression when compared with traditional hospital-based follow-up for melanoma.

Project description:BackgroundAlthough absolute risk of death associated with raised blood pressure increases with age, the benefits of treatment are greater in older patients. However, fewer patients in this group are identified, treated, and controlled.AimTo evaluate the impact of the provision of different levels of feedback on identification, treatment, and control of older patients with hypertension.Design of studyRandomised controlled trial.SettingFifty-two Scottish general practices.MethodPractices were randomly allocated to either control (n = 19), audit only feedback (n = 16), or audit plus risk feedback, prioritising patients by absolute risk (n = 17). Electronic data were extracted from practice computer systems annually from 1999 to 2001 and used to develop feedback. Data were collected for 30 345 patients aged 65-79 years.ResultsThe majority of known patients with hypertension in each group had an initial blood pressure recorded (control = 89.6%; audit = 80.4%; risk = 96.1%) and this increased over the study period (control = 92.3%; audit = 86.0%; risk = 96.6%). Initially, more than 80% of patients in each group were treated but many were uncontrolled (blood pressure >/=160/ >/=90 mmHg) (control = 41.5%; audit = 41.3%; risk = 36.1%). The numbers of untreated and uncontrolled patients in each group reduced (control = 32.3%; audit = 38.3%; risk = 32.6%). There was some evidence of a significant difference in mean systolic pressure between the audit plus risk and audit only groups: (149.6 versus 152.7 mmHg; P = 0.019) and of significantly greater control in the audit plus risk group compared with the other groups 49.4% (versus audit only = 35.4%; versus control = 46.5%; odds ratio = 1.72 [95% confidence interval = 1.09 to 2.70]; P = 0.019).ConclusionsLevels of identification, treatment, and control improved in each group. Although there were still significant numbers of patients with uncontrolled hypertension, there is some evidence to suggest that providing patient-specific feedback may have a positive impact on identification and management of hypertension in older people and produce an increase in control.

Project description:ObjectiveThis study aims to implement a version of patient-centred labels (PCL) consistent with current labelling practice in Australia; assess the effectiveness of PCL in relation to the proportion of participants that correctly comprehend dosing instructions, and explore the proportion of correct comprehension of PCL in participants with both low and high health literacy.DesignRandomised controlled trial.SettingA large tertiary care hospital in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.Participants121 participants with a majority born in Australia (65.3%), New Zealand (14.0%), the UK (6.6%) and Ireland (2.5%).InterventionParticipants were randomly assigned to either a panel of three PCL (n=61) or three standard labels (n=60) and asked to comprehend their assigned panel of labels.Outcome measuresDifference in the proportion of participants that correctly comprehend dosing instructions provided on PCL compared with standard labels. The two-proportion test was used to measure the impact of PCL on the proportion of participants correctly comprehending dosing instructions.ResultsA greater proportion of participants were able to accurately comprehend PCL compared with standard labels. The proportion of participants who were able to correctly comprehend dose instructions provided on all three labels was significantly higher in the group that received PCL; 23.3% standard vs 83.6% PCL, p<0.001. The effect was observed in both low and high health literacy participants. The proportion of participants with accurate label comprehension was higher in participants with low Newest Vital Signs scores (8.3% standard vs 85.7% PCL, p<0.001) and low Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine scores (10.5% standard vs 96.0% PCL, p<0.001) who received PCL.ConclusionThis study supports the use of PCL in Australian pharmacy practice. PCL provide simple, clear and explicit dosing instructions to patients. Implementing PCL may reduce the risk of misinterpreting dosing instructions by patients and improve quality use of medicines.Trial registration numberACTRN12621000083897; Results.

Project description:BackgroundAcute diarrhoeal disease management often requires rehydration alone without antibiotics. However, non-indicated antibiotics are frequently ordered and this is an important driver of antimicrobial resistance. The mHealth Diarrhoea Management (mHDM) trial aimed to establish whether electronic decision support improves rehydration and antibiotic guideline adherence in resource-limited settings.MethodsA cluster randomised controlled trial was done at ten district hospitals in Bangladesh. Inclusion criteria were patients aged 2 months or older with uncomplicated acute diarrhoea. Admission orders were observed without intervention in the pre-intervention period, followed by randomisation to electronic (rehydration calculator) or paper formatted WHO guidelines for the intervention period. The primary outcome was rate of intravenous fluid ordered as a binary variable. Generalised linear mixed-effect models, accounting for hospital clustering, served as the analytical framework; the analysis was intention to treat. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03154229) and is completed.FindingsFrom March 11 to Sept 10, 2018, 4975 patients (75·6%) of 6577 screened patients were enrolled. The intervention effect for the primary outcome showed no significant differences in rates of intravenous fluids ordered as a function of decision-support type. Intravenous fluid orders decreased by 0·9 percentage points for paper electronic decision support and 4·2 percentage points for electronic decision support, with a 4·2-point difference between decision-support types in the intervention period (paper 98·7% [95% CI 91·8-99·8] vs electronic 94·5% [72·2-99·1]; pinteraction=0·31). Adverse events such as complications and mortality events were uncommon and could not be statistically estimated.InterpretationAlthough intravenous fluid orders did not change, electronic decision support was associated with increases in the volume of intravenous fluid ordered and decreases in antibiotics ordered, which are consistent with WHO guidelines.FundingUS National Institutes of Health.