Abstract:
Aim: The study was undertaken to determine the effect of change in lifestyle measures on blood pressure control among adult
hypertensive patients.
Methods: The study was a randomized controlled trial involving hypertensive adults aged 20 years and above presenting in the
General Outpatients' Clinic (GOPC) of Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH). Participants were consecutively selected and
randomized to an intervention group that was offered structured counselling on lifestyle modification and a control group that was
offered routine advice only. Participants in both groups were also taking antihypertensive medications. Participants were followed up
monthly for twelve weeks and adherence to lifestyle modification measures noted. The proportion of observed changes were
analysed using Chi square and Fischer's exact tests. The means at 95% confidence intervals of the blood pressure values were
determined using the independent t-test. Data was analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. A p-value of <0.05 was considered
significant in all analyses.
Results: Changes in lifestyle measures were notably more among the intervention group. There was a greater reduction in the
average blood pressure values of the intervention group compared to the control group after twelve weeks and the difference in
systolic blood pressure (SBP) was statistically significant. The mean SBP difference was 5.5 mmHg (0.43, 10.5; 95% CI) and the
mean diastolic (DBP) difference was 2.76 mmHg (-1.32, 5.66, 95% CI).
Conclusion: Findings from the study show that lifestyle modifications during a period of 12 weeks following structured counselling
in hypertensive adults can help to control or reduce blood pressure.
