Strategies to improve blood pressure control: A step forward to winning the battle

OBJECTIVE: Hypertension represents a common risk factor for all major cardiovascular diseases. The issue of inappropriate blood pressure control in the hypertensive population is a worldwide still unsolved problem, with heavy consequences on the health care systems. A call to action is required to optimize blood pressure control and to reduce the cardiovascular risk. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this issue of the journal a new study presents the results of a multifaceted complex approach, in the context of a quality improvement program, through the involvement of a high functioning multidisciplinary team. A patient population largely underprivileged, urban and 75% African American, referring to an Internal Medicine Clinic, included a large majority of hypertensive patients with inappropriate blood pressure control. By addressing identified barriers to achieve optimal blood pressure control, the current improvement program pursued the education of physicians, nurses and patients as a key driver to optimize patients-provider communication and to achieve a satisfactory final result. CONCLUSIONS: The strategy described in the study by Sadeghi et al. allowed to maintain positive results for one year and thereafter. Despite some weaknesses, this multifaceted complex approach deserves particular attention since it describes relevant findings that represent a significant step forward to improving blood pressure control in the hypertensive population.