TITLE: Intensive training of patients with hypertension is effective in modifying lifestyle risk factors

REF: J Hum Hypertens. 2004 Feb; 18(2): 127-31

PATIENTS: 126 patients with arterial hypertension were trained

METHODS: patients underwent an educational program teaching them about their disease (hypertension) and how to treat the disease. They received eight training sessions of 90 min each.

FINDINGS: After 6 months, patients experienced a decrease in blood pressure and weight. They also increased their activity level.

CONCLUSION: educational sessions help motivate patients to lose weight and increase activity levels.

COMMENT: eating better and getting more exercise is "cost-effective." Why don't we see more research into how to get people to improve their habits? Is it because most research is funded by pharmaceutical companies? This cannot be the reason because their is plenty of research funded by the NIH.

When I was a medical student, a research team I was involved with did nearly identical research, but our "patients" were employees of a large company. We found that keeping a diary of eating and exercise activities was the best way to change behavior. Keeping a diary was more effective than attending the educational classes.