The effect of a lifestyle management educational program on blood pressure, heart rate, and body mass index in patients with hypertension

BACKGROUND: Hypertension (HTN) is one of the most prevalent risk factors for arteriosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD). Its side effects can be decreased through the use of some methods and interventions. The present study was conducted with the aim to evaluate the effects of a lifestyle management on blood pressure, heart rate, and body mass index (BMI) of patients with HTN who have undergone angioplasty. METHODS: This clinical trial was conducted on 2 groups in 3 stages in an educational hospital in Isfahan, Iran, in 2014. The study participants consisted of 60 patients with HTN who had undergone angioplasty. The participants were randomly allocated to the study and control groups. The intervention was implemented in 6 educational sessions during 3 weeks, and then, follow-up was conducted through phone calls in the study group. The collected data were analyzed using independent t-test, chi-square, Mann-Whitney U test, and ANOVA in SPSS software. RESULTS: Repeated measures ANOVA results indicated that the effect of time (P < 0.001) and group (P = 0.027) on systolic blood pressure (SBP) was significant. The effect of time (P = 0.015) and group (P = 0.040) on diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was also significant. In terms of BMI, both effects of time (P = 0.010) and group (P = 0.034) were significant. However, the effect of time (P = 0.899) and group (P = 0.900) on heart rate was not significant. CONCLUSION: The lifestyle management program implemented in the present study was effective on decreased DBP, SBP, and BMI in patients with HTN who had undergone angioplasty. Thus, nurses could implement this program as a part of their care provision program for patients.