A simple conversation during an emergency room visit could help people manage high blood pressure, even before they experience any symptoms, according to new research from the University of Illinois Chicago.
The study, published in JAMA Cardiology, shows that a short consultation plus a smartphone-connected blood pressure monitor can make a big difference in controlling hypertension, often called “the silent killer.”
High blood pressure is a dangerous condition because it usually causes no obvious symptoms until it has already led to serious problems like heart failure, kidney disease, or strokes. Many people don’t even know they have it until it’s too late.
Almost half of all adults in the United States have high blood pressure, and the risk is even higher in underrepresented groups.
In this study, researchers enrolled more than 500 patients who visited the emergency department at UI Health, UIC’s health system, for all kinds of reasons—not just blood pressure problems.
If their blood pressure was high during the visit, a healthcare provider would talk to them about hypertension before they left the hospital. The patients were also given a blood pressure monitor that could connect to their smartphones, so they could track their readings at home over the next six months.
Six months later, the patients who received the consultation and the monitor had significantly lower blood pressure than those who did not get the extra help. This shows that even a quick intervention during an emergency room visit can help people manage their blood pressure better, especially those who might not have easy access to regular medical care.
Dr. Heather Prendergast, the study’s lead author and a professor of emergency medicine, explained that emergency departments are often the “safety net” of the healthcare system. Many people, especially those without regular doctors, only come into contact with healthcare providers when they end up in the emergency room.
Typically, if a patient’s blood pressure is high, they are simply told to follow up with a family doctor or a community clinic. But, as Dr. Prendergast pointed out, many patients never make that follow-up appointment—especially if they feel fine and have no symptoms.
Without proper treatment, high blood pressure can silently damage the body over time. This is particularly concerning for minority groups, who are more likely to have high blood pressure and to suffer worse outcomes.
In this study, 92% of participants came from underrepresented backgrounds, making it one of the first studies to focus on this specific group in an emergency room setting.
At the start of the study, the rates of uncontrolled high blood pressure in the community served by UI Health were higher than the national average.
But after introducing strategies like this emergency room intervention, blood pressure rates in the area are now slightly better than the national average. This success shows how important simple, targeted actions can be for improving public health.
The study also showed that patients appreciated the help. More than 90% of participants said they would recommend the program to family and friends, and many said they felt more knowledgeable and confident about managing their blood pressure after participating.
Dr. Prendergast and her team plan to expand the study to five other emergency departments across different states.
Their goal is to make these simple interventions a regular part of emergency care, helping more patients manage their blood pressure before it leads to serious health problems. Instead of just handing out a referral and hoping patients follow up, they want to equip people with the tools and knowledge they need to take control of their health.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that could increase high blood pressure risk, and eating eggs in a healthy diet may reduce risks of diabetes, high blood pressure.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and results showing 12 foods that lower blood pressure.
The research findings can be found in JAMA Cardiology.
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