Trial results for the COmmuNity-engaged SimULation Training for Blood Pressure Control (CONSULT-BP) study in hypertension were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2025-09-19. The intervention was associated with a slight reduction in mean systolic blood pressure from 137.6 mm Hg to 136.4 mm Hg.
Background
Hypertension is a common chronic condition that significantly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. Effective management often relies on a combination of medication and lifestyle changes, but patient-provider communication and therapeutic alliances also play a crucial role in adherence and outcomes. The CONSULT-BP study aimed to enhance healthcare providers' skills in mitigating bias, improving communication, and fostering stronger patient relationships, particularly in underserved populations, with the hypothesis that these improvements would lead to better blood pressure control.
Trial design
The CONSULT-BP study, designated as Phase NA, enrolled 118 participants with Hypertension. The trial investigated the impact of community-engaged simulation training for early-stage healthcare providers on patient outcomes. The study design compared patients' blood pressure levels before the training intervention period with those after the training intervention, hypothesizing that improved provider skills would lead to lower patient blood pressure.
Key results
The study reported on key measurements related to blood pressure and provider communication skills:
- Blood Pressure (Systolic):
- For patients pre-CONSULT-BP intervention, the mean systolic blood pressure was 137.6 mm Hg (Standard Deviation 18.6).
- For patients post-intervention, the mean systolic blood pressure was 136.4 mm Hg (Standard Deviation 18.6).
- Blood Pressure (Diastolic):
- For patients pre-CONSULT-BP intervention, the mean diastolic blood pressure was 82.1 mm Hg (Standard Deviation 11.1).
- For patients post-intervention, the mean diastolic blood pressure was 81.8 mm Hg (Standard Deviation 10.8).
- RELATE Checklist, a Standardized Patient Rating Scale for Bias-Mitigating and Patient-Centered Communication:
- For healthcare trainees, the mean score on the RELATE Checklist was 32.7 (Standard Deviation 5.0) on a scale.
What this means
The CONSULT-BP study observed a minor reduction in both mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure following the provider training intervention. Specifically, mean systolic blood pressure decreased by 1.2 mm Hg, and mean diastolic blood pressure decreased by 0.3 mm Hg. While these observed changes are small, the study also measured improvements in provider communication skills, as indicated by the RELATE Checklist score. Without statistical analysis provided in the results, it is not possible to determine the statistical significance of the observed blood pressure changes. However, the intervention's focus on improving provider-patient interaction could contribute to better long-term hypertension management, particularly in the safety-net hospital setting serving diverse populations.
Source
The information for these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT03375918, titled "COmmuNity-engaged SimULation Training for Blood Pressure Control", were posted on 2025-09-19 on clinicaltrials.gov.