Improving Hypertension Management in Chennai

This study is a prospective cohort study of hypertensive, or suspected hypertensive, patients that aims to understand barriers to successful hypertension management. The study will be based in Chennai, India; approximately 1000 participants will be recruited from a private non-profit outpatient clinic. The study will begin by observing patients in the clinic then follow-up them up twice at their home, approximately two weeks and four months after their initial clinic visit. Dr. Nikkil Sudharsanan (nikkil.sudharsanan@uni-heidelberg.de), the contact person for public query and co-PI, will be responsible for the second study site i.e. community level interviews at the patients’ homes. The primary outcomes will be to measure the magnitude of physician adherence to hypertensive care guidelines at the point of the clinic visit and patient adherence to physician recommendations four months later.