Effect of Active Telephone Calls in the Compliance of Hypertensive Patients With Treatment: an Open and Randomized Clinical Trial

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the importance of providing guidelines to patients via active telephone calls in blood pressure control and in the discontinuation of treatment among hypertensive patients. Hypertensives (N = 354) who could receive telephone calls to be reminded of the dates of their medical appointments and to be instructed about hypertension were distributed into two groups: a) \"uncomplicated\" - hypertensives with no other concurrent diseases; and b) \"complicated\" - severe hypertensives (mean diastolic ≥ 110 mm Hg with or without medication) or comorbidities. All patients, except those excluded (n=44), were open block randomized to follow two treatment regimens: \"traditional\" or \"current\" and to receive active telephone calls (\"phone calls\" group) or not to receive telephone calls (\"no phone calls\" group).