The BP:Together Study

What is the trial about?

BP:Together is a research study designed to test a new system (intervention) to lower the blood pressure of stroke survivors and those who have had Transient Ischaemic Attacks (TIAs). The intervention is based around stroke/TIA survivors (or their carers) measuring their blood pressure at home, with input from a GP or specialist when needed. After having a stroke or TIA, people are more likely to have a further stroke. The best way to reduce this risk is to reduce high blood pressure, and yet at present a significant proportion of stroke survivors do not have their high blood pressure properly controlled (perhaps one third).

Does self-monitoring work?

Most research on controlling blood pressure with self-monitoring has been done with people who have not had a stroke or TIA. Our group has already shown, in studies where most people have not had a stroke/TIA^1,2, that measuring your own blood pressure at home (‘self-monitoring’), accompanied by careful adjustment of blood pressure medication by your GP, leads to better control of blood pressure. We have also shown that it helps to lower blood pressure if you can make decisions about adjusting your medication, following advice from your GP. These self-monitoring systems seem to work because people are more likely to take their medication consistently, and because GPs are more likely to prescribe additional medication when it is needed.

What is BP:Together?

BP:Together is a web and smartphone app which will be used to remind patients to take and record their blood pressure. Patients receive instant feedback about their blood pressure and a monthly report is sent to the patient's GP practice.

What happens if I take part?

People who might be suitable to take part (following a stroke or TIA and with raised blood pressure) will receive an invitation via their GP. Those who are interested will have a telephone conversation with our trial team to see if they might be eligible for the study. If they seem like they might be eligible they will meet with our research nurse, who will explain the study. At the same meeting, those who are happy to take part and give their consent will have their blood pressure measured and fill in questionnaires (we will help, if necessary, and have special provision for people with aphasia and other difficulties following stroke). If the person is eligible for the study, a computer program will then randomly allocate eligible participants into one of two groups - those who self-monitor or those who carry on with usual GP care. Those who self-monitor will send their blood pressure readings each month to their GP by mobile phone/tablet or computer (either in a free text or via an app, depending on the kind of phone/tablet). They will receive automatic messages to remind them to take their blood pressure, and to say what action (if any) they should take depending on the level of the blood pressure. GPs will receive summaries of their patients’ blood pressures and work with their patients to control their blood pressure. GPs will also get reminders of potential actions should blood pressure remain high.

Process Evaluation

The trial will also include qualitative work focusing on how self-monitoring fits into the daily lives of participating patients and those who care and support them, and to understand the impact of severity of illness after a stroke or TIA. We will collect data for an evaluation of the trial through interviews with participants, their carers and healthcare professionals, supported by other research methods, to understand participants’, carers’ and professionals’ experiences and views of the self-monitoring of blood pressure intervention in practice. 

Interested in taking part?

To be eligible to take part, you will need to meet the eligibility criteria listed on our Patient Information Sheet and will need to be registered at a practice that is taking part in the study (see map).

If you are interested in taking part, contact our trial team for a discussion on the freephone number (0808 196 1530) or via email.

You can download our patient information sheet by clicking the button below. You can also watch our Patient Information Video below.

Contact Details

University of Oxford (Central Trial Team)

Trial Manager - Anne Smith

Freephone - 0808 196 1530

Email - bptogether@phc.ox.ac.uk

Address - The BP:Together Trial, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Gibson Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG

University of Cambridge (local coordinating centre)

Trial Coordinator - Lizzie Kreit

Telephone - 01223762502

Email - ek445@medschl.cam.ac.uk

Address - FAO: Lizzie Kreit, The BP:Together trial, Primary Care Unit, Strangeways Research Laboratory, Worts Causeway, Cambridge, CB1 8RN

university of edinburgh (Local coordinating centre)

Trial Coordinator - Lauren Murdoch 

Telephone - 0131 651 9926 

Email - tasmin.study@ed.ac.uk

Address -FAO: Lauren Murdoch, The BP:Together trial, Edinburgh Clinical Trials Unit, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Level 2 NINE Edinburgh BioQuarter, 9 Little France Road, Edinburgh EH16 4UX