Study design and participants
psychotic disorder, cognitive impairment, impaired vision, Hypertension, hypertension
PREGNANCY-INDUCED HYPERTENSION, TERMINAL ILLNESS, HYPERTENSION, HYPERTENSION, SECONDARY HYPERTENSION
PERson-centredness in Hypertension management using Information Technology (PERHIT) was an unblinded multicentre randomized controlled trial where an interactive web-based communication system, which used the patient's mobile phone for self-management of hypertension, was tested by patients and professionals in primary care in four healthcare regions in southern Sweden. It was previously described in the study protocol [Invitation letters were sent out to the unit heads of all eligible primary healthcare centres (PHCCs) in the four regions. Those who responded and were interested in participating received further information. An information meeting was held at the PHCC, with nurses and physicians from the centre participating. At the meeting, the nurses and physicians received information and instructions on how to use the web-based interactive system. Participating PHCCs received financial compensation for each included patient and time spent taking part in the study. The participating patients did not receive any financial compensation.Nurses and physicians at the participating PHCCs identified potentially eligible patients [Inclusion criteria were Swedish-speaking adult patients with a diagnosis of hypertension and treatment with at least one antihypertensive drug. The actual blood pressure level at inclusion was not set as inclusion criteria, depending on common variations in blood pressure during the office measurement. Exclusion criteria were secondary hypertension, terminal illness, pregnancy-induced hypertension, cognitive impairment, impaired vision (not able to read messages on the mobile phone) and psychotic disorder.The technology in the trial was designed to be easy to use and to not require any previous experience of using similar systems, thus not excluding patients with limited experience of technology use [After inclusion, the participants took part in a baseline assessment, which included measuring office BP (mmHg) and pulse (beats/min), height (m) and weight (kg), blood tests (cholesterol, creatinine, HbA1c and cystatin C) and answering questionnaires. After baseline assessment, the patients were randomized to the intervention or control group. The patients in the control group received care as usual and did not receive a BP monitor.All participating patients were booked for follow-up visits at 8 weeks and 12 months. At these visits, the patients answered questionnaires, office BP and pulse were measured, and blood samples were taken [