Lifestyle recommendations are first-line elements in the management of arterial hypertension. This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the level to which lifestyle recommendations are used in hypertension management in France, using data from the Esteban study, which was implemented by Santé Publique France, France's public health agency, from 2014 to 2016 on a representative sample of the French population. The study sample comprised 440 adult Esteban participants who were aware they had hypertension and were aged 18-74 years old. The main outcomes were the proportion of participants who received lifestyle recommendations in their hypertension management plan, and the proportion of recommendations according to the three following dimensions: physical activity, weight loss, and changes in diet. Over half (57.0%) of the 440 participants declared they did not receive lifestyle recommendations as part of their hypertension management plan in the year preceding the study.Of these, 39.0% did not receive pharmacological treatment either. Physical activity was recommended to 31.8% of sedentary participants and weight loss to 26.8% of participants with overweight or obesity. One-fifth of the study sample (20.1%) received dietary recommendations. Of these, 69% and 10.7% were advised to limit their salt and alcohol intake, respectively. Lifestyle interventions are too rarely recommended in hypertension management plans in France. Adherence to lifestyle recommendations needs in-depth discussion not only at the time of diagnosis but also throughout follow-up.

Background Hypertension is the most frequent chronic pathology in France and in the world. It is one of the main modifiable cardiovascular risk factors. In France, 50% of treated hypertensives are uncontrolled and only 30% of treated patients are fully adherent to their antihypertensive treatment. Poor adherence to drug treatments is considered as one of the main causes of non-control of hypertension. Since 2018, a new profession has entered the French healthcare system: advanced practice nurses (APN). They have many broad-based skills, at the interface of nursing and medical exercises. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of an APN intervention versus usual care on hypertension control. Methods The study will take place at the Hôtel-Dieu University Hospital, Paris, France, as prospective, open-label, controlled, randomized 1-to-1, monocentric, and superiority trial. The participants will be recruited during day hospitalization for cardiovascular assessment in the context of their hypertension management. Patients will be divided into two groups: a “usual care” group which will continue traditional follow-up (day hospitalization followed by consultation with a medical doctor (MD) within approximately 2–12 months) and an “intervention” group which will meet an APN between the day hospitalization and the MD consultation. Participants will be monitored until 12 months after the day hospitalization, depending on their last follow-up study appointment (MD consultation). The primary outcome is the rate of controlled BP (BP < 140/90 mmHg in office BP measurement) in each group. The hypothesis formulated is that an individual APN intervention, included in usual hypertension management, improves hypertension control. Discussion This innovative study will be the first in France where APNs are beginning to be established in the healthcare system. It will provide an objective look at this new profession and the impact it can have in the framework of global management of hypertension. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT0448249. Registered on June 24, 2020.

Background: Hypertension is the most frequent chronic pathology in France and in the world. It is one of the main modifiable cardiovascular risk factors. In France, 50% of treated hypertensives are uncontrolled and only 30% of treated patients are fully adherent to their antihypertensive treatment. Poor adherence to drug treatments is considered as one of the main causes of non-control of hypertension. Since 2018, a new profession has entered the French healthcare system: Advanced Practice Nurses (APN). They have many broad skills, at the interface of nursing and medical exercises. The purpose of this interventional study is to assess the impact of APN on blood pressure (BP) control in the context of usual care of hypertension thanks to a better adhesion of patients and a better therapeutic alliance. Methods: The study is designed as prospective, open-label, controlled, randomized 1-to-1 and mono-centric at the Hôtel-Dieu University Hospital, Paris, France. The participants are all hypertensive and recruited during an ambulatory hospitalization (AH) for cardiovascular assessment in the context of the management of their hypertension. Patients are divided into two groups: a control group who keeps a traditional follow-up (AH then consultation with a medical doctor (MD) within approximately two to six months) and an interventional group who will see an APN between the AH and the MD consultation, within 1-3 months. Patients are followed up over six months. The main judgment criterion is BP control (BP < 135/85 mmHg in home BP measurement). The hypothesis formulated is that an individual APN intervention, included in a usual hypertension management, improves BP control. Discussion: This innovative study is a first in France where APNs are at the dawn of their establishment in the healthcare system. It will provide an objective look at this new profession and the impact it can have on the overall management of hypertension. Trial registration: This trial was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov on June 24, 2020: protocol number NCT0448249.