IMPlementation of gUideLines for the Management of Arterial hypertenSION. The IMPULSION Study (IMPULSION)

The objective of this protocol is to improve awareness, treatment, and control of arterial hypertension, within primary prevention of target organ damage, by implementing guidelines, after training of the participating physicians.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: High Blood Pressure
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Implementation of guidelines

Detailed Description

Physicians from 20 hospitals and 40 health centres (primary health care settings) were trained to implement guidelines in treating arterial hypertension.

There will be a baseline recording of patients with arterial hypertension and then physicians will have to complete a one page form (by ticking pre-specified boxes) about the baseline status of the patients and will have to report the measures they took to improve awareness, treatment, and effective control of arterial hypertension. After a six month effort, physicians will have to complete the same form at study completion. Previous training of physicians and the fact that they will have to report their success in treating hypertension will hopefully contribute to an increase in number of hypertensive patients at blood pressure target, and will minimise the target organ damage. The estimated reduction in coronary heart disease risk will be evaluated by a comparison of this risk (as evaluated by a risk engine, i.e. PROCAM) at study completion with that of baseline.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 1000

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Greece
  • Thessaloniki, Greece, 55132
    • Hellenic Atherosclerosis Society

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Arterial hypertension as defined by the JNC 7 report

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy
• Lactation
• Malignancies with small life expectancy
• Unwillingness to participate

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Efficacy in arterial hypertension control	6 months
Efficacy in reducing estimated risk of coronary heart disease	6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Cost effectiveness of arterial hypertension control	6 months
Differences between primary and secondary health care settings as well as teaching hospitals	6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Hellenic Atherosclerosis Society
• Investigators: Study Director: Athyros G Athyros, MD, Clinical Trials Chair of Hellenic Atherosclerosis Society

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Karagiannis A, Athyros VG, Papageorgiou A, Tziomalos K, Elisaf M. Should atenolol still be recommended as first-line therapy for primary hypertension? Hellenic J Cardiol. 2006 Sep-Oct;47(5):298-307. No abstract available.
• Karagiannis A, Hatzitolios AI, Athyros VG, Deligianni K, Charalambous C, Papathanakis C, Theodosiou G, Drakidis T, Chatzikaloudi V, Kamilali C, Matsiras S, Matziris A, Savopoulos C, Baltatzi M, Rudolf J, Tziomalos K, Mikhailidis DP. Implementation of guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension. The impulsion study. Open Cardiovasc Med J. 2009 May 5;3:26-34. doi: 10.2174/1874192400903010026.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: November 1, 2006
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 1, 2007
• Study Completion (Actual): November 1, 2007

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 23, 2006
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 27, 2006
• First Posted (Estimate): December 28, 2006

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): January 29, 2009
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 28, 2009
• Last Verified: January 1, 2009

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Treatment; Hypertension; Awareness; High blood pressure; Effective Control; Coronary heart disease risk reduction
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Cardiovascular Diseases; Vascular Diseases; Hypertension
• Other Study ID Numbers: HAS-02-231206