Cynthia Graham, 62, began having high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, in the early 1990s during her pregnancy with her youngest child. Though she was prescribed medication to control her blood pressure, Cynthia experienced debilitating symptoms like severe headaches, swelling and irritability.
“My options were to either take the medication and feel horrible with the side effects or not take it and feel better but have an increased risk of heart disease and stroke,” she says.
A few years ago, Cynthia participated in the Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute Hypertension Bootcamp, a program that helped her manage her chronic high blood pressure from home. Her experience in the bootcamp helped inform the design of a new 5-year study called Comparing Remote High Blood Pressure Management with Usual Care in Primary Care, a collaboration between Atrium Health, Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). Since 2023, Ms. Graham has served as a patient partner on the study, contributing her insights to its design and implementation.
All participants receive at-home blood pressure monitoring equipment and are educated on how to use it and what their results mean. Then, study participants are randomly divided into two groups to help researchers determine which treatment approach creates the best patient outcomes:
- Group one has access to the equipment and is encouraged to self-report their blood pressure readings to their providers to help optimize their control.
- Group two receives additional assistance in achieving their blood pressure goals by working with a clinical pharmacist and a community health worker. The pharmacist adjusts their medications as needed. Once their blood pressure is well-controlled, patients enter a phase of passive monitoring, during which the team checks in less frequently.
Cynthia appreciated the personalized approach of the bootcamp, including customized care from a clinical pharmacist who worked with a nurse.
“It was nice having someone walking with me,” says Cynthia.
The results from remote blood pressure monitoring have been transformative.
“The program was a lifesaver,” says Cynthia. “I was prescribed new medications, and we found the perfect balance that was a good combination for me and my body. Now, my blood pressure is good, I feel good and I’m not suffering from debilitating medication side effects.”
Remote blood pressure monitoring and why it matters
Nearly 50% of adults have high blood pressure, often called a silent killer because it doesn’t always cause symptoms, but it can increase the risk of stroke and heart disease, which are the top causes of death in the United States.
“A lot of chronic disease management happens outside the doctor’s office, whether that’s the patient taking their blood pressure medication or watching their diet,” says Yhenneko Taylor, associate vice president and co-director for the Atrium Health Center for Health System Sciences, and adjunct professor of Social Sciences and Health Policy at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. “This research is important for figuring out what works for hypertension management and how to make care better for patients.”
The study’s investigators are also exploring ways to make chronic hypertension management more accessible to patients.
“Many of our patients struggle to get into the office for visits because of transportation limitations,” says Lindsay Shade, a family medicine physician assistant and director of clinical trials in family medicine research at Atrium Health, one of the co-investigators of the study. “Our community health worker assists patients who may not have stable housing or who have food insecurity, as all of these factors can impact their blood pressure. We also provide dietary advice and information to help them quit smoking when needed.”
The study has proved popular with patients and providers alike.
“In all my years of helping run practice implementation projects at Atrium Health, we receive more provider referrals for this study than any other study I can think of,” says Shade. “Providers and patients are really interested.”
Participating in the study
Research is currently underway at Atrium Health and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, with six physician practices participating at each site. The study began enrolling patients in December 2024 and will continue recruiting through August 2026.
Dr. Kathryn Callahan at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Geriatric Medicine – Sticht Center says, “Interprofessional team-based care means that we’re better able to partner with patients and promote active management of blood pressure, in-between office visits. I’m excited for how this could also inform management of other chronic conditions.”
To volunteer, you must be a patient at one of the following practices in Charlotte:
- Atrium Health CMC Elizabeth Family Medicine
- Atrium Health Primary Care North Charlotte Internal Medicine
- Atrium Health Biddle Point Family Medicine
- Atrium Health Primary Care Rutherford Internal Medicine & Specialty Care
- Atrium Health Primary Care Shelby Family Medicine
- Atrium Health Primary Care Charlotte Medical Clinic
Or a patient at one of the following clinics in Winston-Salem:
- Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Downtown Health Plaza
- Atrium Health Wake Forest Medicine Internal Medicine Winston East
- Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Family Medicine - Piedmont Plaza I
- Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Family Medicine - Reynolda
- Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Family Medicine - Peace Haven
- Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Family Medicine - Adams Farm
Take control of your health, starting with your blood pressure. Find an Atrium Health primary care provider near you.
