Individuals with prehypertension are at increased cardiovascular risk compared with normotension, as well as increased risk of progression to sustained hypertension. The recommended treatment for prehypertension is lifestyle modification, including weight loss, adoption of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, reduction of dietary sodium, physical activity, and moderation of alcohol intake. The proposed pilot study will test the effect of a 4 session telephone-based lifestyle intervention on blood pressure change in 125 prehypertensive participants. The intervention includes education and behavioral counseling strategies that have been shown to be effective in promoting behavior change and reducing blood pressure among hypertensives.
Following baseline assessment, participants will be randomized to the intervention or usual care, and will complete follow-up assessments at 6 weeks and 3 months post-randomization. The primary aim of the study is to examine the effect of the intervention on blood pressure at 3 months. Secondary aims include examining intervention effects on lifestyle behavior changes at 6 weeks and 3 months. This study will provide pilot and feasibility data for a future application to study effects of the intervention on risk factor modification, blood pressure reduction, and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. If successful, this brief, cost-effective intervention could easily be incorporated into routine care, and could have a significant impact on the management of prehypertension.
