BP \> 140/90 mmHg or \> 130/80 mmHg if patient has diabetes at the initial screening visit using an approved automated BP monitor.
If on drug therapy, continuous drug therapy with the same dosing interval for 8 weeks prior to and throughout the screening period. May be drug naive.
Written informed consent
Hypertension for at least 12 weeks before screening and throughout the screening period (according to the patient or their medical practitioner)
Must have a cell phone plan (in Canada) and be willing to maintain the plan during the study. For Tanzania, must have a cell phone under a locally available Tanzanian carrier.
Must be willing to take occasional local calls from study team members
One or more of BMI \> 30 kg/m2, diabetes, smoking, over age 40, previous history of CAD including stroke and heart attack
An identified health care provider in the community (ie. Family Physician/Nurse Practitioner in Canada or Community Nurse/Clinical officer in Tanzania)
You may not be if
Change in antihypertensive medication during the 8 weeks before enrolment
No cell phone plan compatible with the study.
Poorly controlled hypertension with BP \> 180/110 mmHg
No primary health care provider
Active malignant disease (except non-melanoma skin cancer)
Unable or unwilling to visit health care provider
Unable to read the SMS messages (English in Canada and Kiswahili in Tanzania)
Participation in a clinical trial or receipt of investigational compound or treatment in the 3 months prior to the initial screening visit.
Planned elective surgery during the study period except for cataract surgery
\*For BP screening study, must not be on an antihypertensive in the last 6 months.
Clareo Health | Detecting and Treating High Blood Pressure in Aboriginal Population and Low and Middle Income Countries
