Lifestyle Modifications With Permissive Hypertension To Reduce Hypertension

Abstract Purpose: This study explores if lifestyle changes with permissive hypertension can offer a non-medication approach to reducing hypertension. Hypertensive patients in a rural community in East Texas were involved in facilitating lifestyle modifications and permissive hypertension when indicated. Background: The study presents a problem of blood pressure control. The clinical setting is Alto Family Medical Clinic, which serves approximately 800 patients in rural Alto, Texas, and Cherokee County. This community’s demographics contain barriers, such as poverty, mistrust of healthcare workers, limited education, and rural areas, that affect compliance with the current hypertensive regimen. The study introduced lifestyle modifications and permissive hypertension to a rural community in East Texas. Methodology: The Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) model was applied to this Quality Improvement (QI) project. The providers informed patients. Participants chose different lifestyle modification options suitable for their lifestyle and permissive hypertension. The QI project collected data for 12 weeks, including daily sodium intake, exercise, blood pressure, and medication adherence. Results: Results on permissive hypertension were unreliable. There was a gradual decrease in blood pressure for permissive hypertension patients, with no adverse side effects. Average blood pressure for all patients dropped from (AMSBP=148.85, AMDBP=85.88) in Week 1 to (AMSBP=139.55, AMDBP=76.00) in Week 12 following diet sodium. Paired t-test showed a significant correlation between blood pressure (AMDBP) and diet sodium (p=0.00321). Implications: Patients in rural areas are significantly impacted by social determinants, including using smartphones, transportation, low-sodium food options and lack of education. Social factors limit their blood pressure control.