Effectiveness of an Interventional Program to Improve Blood Pressure Control in Hypertensive Patients at High Risk for Developing Heart Failure: HEROIC study

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2010 May;12(5):335-44. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-7176.2010.00271.x.

Abstract

The Efectividad de un Programa de Intervención en el Control de la Presión Arterial de los Hipertensos en Riesgo de Desarrollar Insuficiencia Cardiaca (HEROIC) study was designed to assess whether an educational program for primary care physicians could improve blood pressure (BP) control in hypertensive patients at high risk for developing heart failure. The program contained a combination of educational training (live group sessions or online training) and information feedback. Two hundred twenty-six physicians completed the program and provided valid data in 2489 patients before and 2168 after 1 year. There was a small but significant reduction of -1.1 mm Hg (P=.009) in systolic BP and a higher proportion of patients achieved their BP target (13.6% vs 15.6%, P=.055). Thus, the authors concluded that there was a slight improvement in BP control after the educational program, but this change was not sufficient to avoid development of heart failure. More complex and intensive programs are needed for this type of prevention.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antihypertensive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects
  • Blood Pressure / physiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Education, Medical, Continuing / methods*
  • Female
  • Heart Failure / epidemiology
  • Heart Failure / prevention & control*
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / epidemiology
  • Hypertension / therapy*
  • Male
  • Physicians*
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Practice Patterns, Physicians'
  • Primary Health Care / methods*
  • Primary Health Care / organization & administration
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk
  • Spain
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antihypertensive Agents