Clinical Research Studies

BETTER-BP (Behavioral Economics Trial To Enhance Regulation of Blood Pressure) is a phase II, single-center, prospective, pragmatic randomized clinical trial within the New York City Health and Hospitals (NYC-H+H) system. The trial will recruit from primary care and cardiology ambulatory clinics at Bellevue Hospital an NYULMC-affiliated safety net hospital in New York City, and will use a lottery incentive program to promote adherence to antihypertensive medication that will be delivered via smartphone for 6 months. The trial will randomize 435 patients with hypertension determined to have poor adherence (<80% adherence with antihypertensive medication), in a 2:1 (intervention:control) ratio. Baseline enrollment will occur over 36 months with an expected 12 months follow-up per participant. The primary objective (efficacy) of BETTER-BP is to evaluate whether an incentive lottery, implemented for 6 months, improves systolic blood pressure (SBP) by greater than or equal to 10 mmHg compared with control. The secondary objective (efficacy) is to evaluate whether an incentive lottery improves SBP at 12 months (6 months after lottery cessation).