Progress report on the Hypertension Objective Treatment Based on Measurement by Electrical Devices of Blood Pressure (HOMED-BP) study: Status at February 2004

The Hypertension Objective Treatment Based on Measurement by Electrical Devices of Blood Pressure (HOMED-BP) Study is the first large-scale intervention trial in Japan using a PROBE design to determine an optimal target blood pressure (BP) level on the basis of self-measured BP at home and optimal initial antihypertensive medication. The registered patients are randomized to one of two different BP levels and to initial antihypertensive regimens (i.e., calcium antagonist [Ca-A], angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor [ACE-I], or angiotensin II receptor antagonist [ARB]).At the end of February 2004, 2729, 1687, and 971 patients were recruited, randomized, and followed-up for 12 months or more. Among the 971 patients, mean systolic/diastolic BP levels at randomization in the Ca-A, ACE-I, and ARB groups were 150/90, 152/89, and 151/89 mmHg, respectively. These values reduced after six months of Ca-A-, ACE-I-, and ARB-based treatment (133/81 mmHg, 135/80 mmHg, and 134/79 mmHg, respectively) and further reduc...