Home blood pressure during night-time sleep - a feasible treatment target for patients with hypertension: a proof-of-concept randomised controlled trial.

Background: This trial assessed the feasibility of titrating evening dosing of anti-hypertensive medications based on nighttime home blood pressure measurement (HBPM) readings in primary care for hypertensive (HT) patients.

Methods: 78 patients with nocturnal HT and stage I daytime HT were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either nighttime HBPM measurements (intervention group) or daytime HBPM measurements (control group). Nighttime blood pressure (BP) was measured 3x per night for at least two nights over 1 week using an automatic and validated HBPM device.

Safety, Feasibility, and Acceptability of Telemedicine for Hypertension in Primary Care: A Proof-of-concept and Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial (SATE-HT).

Hypertension (HT) continues to be a leading cause of cardiovascular death and an enormous burden on the healthcare system. Although telemedicine may provide improved blood pressure (BP) monitoring and control, it remains unclear whether it could replace face-to-face consultations in patients with optimal BP control. We hypothesized that an automatic drug refill coupled with a telemedicine system tailored to patients with optimal BP would lead to non-inferior BP control.

Long term clinical outcomes of patients with ischemic stroke in primary care - a 9-year retrospective study.

Background: We aim to document the long-term outcomes of ischemic stroke patients and explore the potential risk factors for recurrent cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in primary care.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study performed at two general out-patient clinics (GOPCs) under Hospital Authority (HA) in Hong Kong (HK). Ischemic stroke patients with at least two consecutive follow-up visits during the recruitment period (1/1-30/6/2010) were included.

External Counterpulsation Reduces Beat-to-Beat Blood Pressure Variability When Augmenting Blood Pressure and Cerebral Blood Flow in Ischemic Stroke.

Background And Purpose: External counterpulsation (ECP) is a noninvasive method used to enhance cerebral perfusion by elevating the blood pressure in ischemic stroke. However, the response of the beat-to-beat blood pressure variability (BPV) in ischemic stroke patients during ECP remains unknown.

Methods: We enrolled recent ischemic stroke patients and healthy controls.

Enhancing cerebral perfusion with external counterpulsation after ischaemic stroke: how long does it last?

Objective: External counterpulsation (ECP) is a non-invasive method used to augment cerebral perfusion in ischaemic stroke. We aimed to investigate time-course effects on blood pressure elevation and cerebral blood flow augmentation induced by ECP in ischaemic stroke.

Methods: Patients with acute unilateral ischaemic stroke and large artery occlusive disease were recruited to receive 35 daily 1 h ECP treatment sessions.

The reduction of regional cerebral blood flow in normal-appearing white matter is associated with the severity of white matter lesions in elderly: a Xeon-CT study.

White matter lesions (WMLs) in normal elderly are related to chronic ischemia, and progression of WML occurs mostly in moderate to severe disease. However, the mechanism is uncertain. Thus, we enrolled fifty-six normal elderly patients without large artery disease.

Increasing pressure of external counterpulsation augments blood pressure but not cerebral blood flow velocity in ischemic stroke.

External counterpulsation (ECP) is a noninvasive method used to augment cerebral perfusion but the optimal use of ECP in ischemic stroke has not been well documented. We aimed to investigate the effects of ECP treatment pressure on cerebral blood flow and blood pressure (BP). We recruited 38 ischemic stroke patients with large artery occlusive disease and 20 elderly controls.

Predictors of good functional outcome in counterpulsation-treated recent ischaemic stroke patients.

Objectives: External counterpulsation (ECP) is a non-invasive method being investigated for ischaemic stroke. We aimed to explore predictors of good functional outcome for ECP-treated ischaemic stroke patients who completed a minimum of 10 sessions.

Methods: We analysed our ECP registry of ischaemic stroke patients with cerebral large artery stenosis who underwent ECP therapy at the Prince of Wales Hospital from 2004 to 2010.

External counterpulsation augments blood pressure and cerebral flow velocities in ischemic stroke patients with cerebral intracranial large artery occlusive disease.

Background And Purpose: External counterpulsation (ECP) is a novel noninvasive method used to improve the perfusion of vital organs, which may benefit ischemic stroke patients. We hypothesized that ECP may augment cerebral blood flow of ischemic stroke patients via induced hypertension.

Methods: We recruited ischemic stroke patients with cerebral intracranial large artery occlusive disease and healthy elderly controls into this study.