Directly observed therapy prior to ambulatory blood pressure measurement (DOT-HTN) in uncontrolled hypertensive patients - Effect on blood pressure, safety and patient perception

Figures & data

Figure 1. CONSORT Flow Diagram of population, participant eligibility, randomization, and follow-up during the course of the trial.

Figure 2. Study design.

Table 1. Baseline characteristics.

	Intervention (n = 8)	Control (n = 8)
Gender, men, number (%)	6 (75)	8 (100)
Age, years (median (min-max))	53 (42–69)	53 (41–74)
Ethnicity, Caucasian, number (%)	6 (75)	8 (100)
Referred due to difficult-to-control* hypertension, yes (%)	5 (63)	4 (50)
Body mass index, kg/m² (median (min-max))	27.8 (21.8–37.5)	28.5 (24.7–44.7)
Waist circumference, cm (median (min-max))	97 (76–132)	102 (93–147)
Number of prescribed drugs (median (min-max))	3 (2–4)	3 (2-6)
Diuretics, yes (%)	7 (88)	6 (75)
Duration of BP** treatment, years (median (min-max))	11 (0–21)	12 (0–32)
Patients with co-morbidity***, number (%)	5 (63)	5 (63)
Smoker, yes (%)	1 (13)	0 (0)

* Patients with ≥3 antihypertensive medications including diuretic.

** BP: Blood pressure.

*** Patient-reported diabetes, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, and other co-morbidity.

Figure 3. Individual and median changes in daytime ambulatory systolic blood pressure from baseline to follow-up in both groups (n= 16). The y-axis has been truncated.