Comprehensive Approach to Hypertension Management in Nepal

June 17, 2025 updated by: Norwegian University of Science and Technology

A Cluster Randomized Trial to Evaluate Comprehensive Approach to Hypertension Management in Nepal

Hypertension is a global risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Approximately 80% hypertension burden is in low-and-middle income countries. Hypertension can be managed with antihypertensive medication and following effective lifestyle interventions, however the control rate of hypertension among those on treatment is dismal. In Nepal, a quarter of adult population have hypertension of whom, 44% are unaware of their status, 33% are on treatment, and, only 12% are controlled. A comprehensive intervention strategy for hypertension management has shown promising results in high income countries. Therefore, it is of interest to understand its effectiveness, appropriateness and feasibility in the low income settings such as Nepal. The objective of the trial is to assess the impact on net change in mean systolic blood pressure measured between 7 to 8 months follow-up of a comprehensive intervention which provides personalized counselling on lifestyle modification and medication adherence together with support for regular monitoring of blood pressure at home, compared with a control arm where hypertensive patients have access to routine care only. The investigators are proposing a cluster randomized controlled trial conducted in government health facilities from Budhanilakantha, an urban municipality in the Bagmati Province of Nepal. Trial arms: 1) control (routine hypertension care); 2) Comprehensive approach to hypertension management that includes blood pressure (BP) audit and feedback by physician (nurse and doctor), and patient support to monitor BP, and home based patient care by community health workers to encourage self-monitoring of BP followed by tailored educational counselling on behavioral and lifestyle change. Eligible participants providing consent will be enrolled into the trial by a research assistant who will conduct interviews. Those from the intervention arm will receive the home visits for 6 months. Participants from both arms will provide follow up data in 7 to 8 months.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
1252

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Nepal
      • Kathmandu, Nepal
        • Institute for Implementation Sciences and Health

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Hypertension patients (systolic blood pressure 140 mmHg or more and/or diastolic blood pressure 90 mmHg or more on at least two separate visits, or use of antihypertensive medication)
  • Living in the area served by the participating health facilities

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancy
  • Not able or willing to give informed consent,
  • Critically ill from depilating conditions such as dialysis, cancer, palliative care
  • Not likely to continue living in the area served by the health facility during trial follow up period (8 months)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
No Intervention: Control arm
Routine hypertension care
Experimental: Intervention arm
Comprehensive approach to hypertension management that includes BP audit and feedback by physician (nurse and doctor), and patient support to monitor BP, and home based patient care by community health workers to encourage self-monitoring of BP followed by tailored educational counselling on behavioral and lifestyle change in addition to routine care.
Behavioral: Comprehensive approach to hypertension management
Trained health workers will review blood pressure (BP) logs and provide treatment. The patients will receive a BP lowering informational package, BP monitoring device and log book and pill-box and medication table. The participants will receive monthly home visits (6 visits) to discuss hypertension and ways to manage it. They will be encouraged to identify problems and developing an action plan to solve them. The participants will be encouraged to set behavioral goals. The follow up visits will review the progress made in implementing action plan and goals set and updating them. Review BP logs and facilitate tailored discussion on topics based on problems faced by participants on barriers to medication adherence, physical activity, weight management or diet. The family members will be involved and be accountable in supporting the patients in achieving the action plans.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Mean systolic blood pressure (BP) (mmHg)
Time Frame: Measured at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
Net change in mean systolic BP from baseline to follow up
Measured at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Mean diastolic BP (mmHg)
Time Frame: Measured at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
Net change in mean diastolic BP from baseline to follow up
Measured at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
Proportion controlling BP (<140/90 mmHg)
Time Frame: Measured at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
Proportion of participants controlling BP (<140/90 mmHg) from baseline to follow up
Measured at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
Waist Circumference (cm)
Time Frame: Measured at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
The mean difference in waist circumference measured at baseline and follow up
Measured at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
Body weight (Kg)
Time Frame: Measured at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
The mean difference in weight measured at baseline and follow up
Measured at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
Diet low in cholesterol, high in fruits and vegetables
Time Frame: Reported at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
The proportion consuming diet low in cholesterol, high in fruits and vegetables in the last 24 hours self reported at baseline and follow up
Reported at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
Daily salt intake (<1 teaspoon per day)
Time Frame: Reported at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
The proportion consuming less than 1 teaspoon of salt per day self reported at baseline and follow up
Reported at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
Medication adherence
Time Frame: Self reported at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
The proportion adhering to prescribed medication in the past two weeks measured at baseline and follow up
Self reported at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
Physical activity
Time Frame: Self reported at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
The proportion engaged in moderate physical activity (2.5 hours per week) measured at baseline and follow up
Self reported at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
Hypertension Knowledge Score
Time Frame: Self reported at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
All together 21 hypertension knowledge statement with 12 true false responses and others with multiple responses to create a aggregate score on hypertension Knowledge
Self reported at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
Perceived Social Support Scale
Time Frame: Self reported at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
Twelve statements on perceived social support with 7 point Likert scale will be used at baseline and endline
Self reported at baseline and follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
Maintaining BP logs
Time Frame: Self reported at follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline
Proportion of trial participants maintaining self BP measurement logs asked during follow up
Self reported at follow up between 7 to 8 months after baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Institute for Implementation Sciences and Health, Kathmandu, Nepal

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Director: Solveig Kirsti Grudt, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
  • Principal Investigator: Abhijit Sen, prof, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
  • Principal Investigator: Archana Shrestha, Institute for Implementation Sciences and Health, Nepal
  • Principal Investigator: Sanju Bhattarai, Institute for Implementation Science and Health

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 2, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
August 29, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
August 29, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 9, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 22, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 23, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 22, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 17, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 399476

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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