Reduced-salt, higher-potassium diet to help control blood pressure in adults with hypertension
Salt Intake and Blood Pressure Control in Adults With Essential Hypertension
This project will test whether a new educational tool (the DSHP Diet Tool) helps adults with hypertension in Singapore cut salt, eat more potassium, and improve their blood pressure.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 190 (estimated) |
| Ages | 21 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | SingHealth Polyclinics Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Singapore, Singapore) |
| Trial ID | NCT07025928 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This three-part study first explores patient and healthcare provider perspectives on barriers and facilitators to adopting a reduced-salt, high-potassium diet. It then pilots the Decreased Salt High Potassium (DSHP) Diet Tool to test feasibility and preliminary effects on dietary sodium and potassium intake in adults with essential hypertension recruited from two SingHealth polyclinics. Eligible participants are adults aged 21 and above with a self-reported diagnosis of hypertension for at least six months or who are taking antihypertensive medication, and healthcare providers involved in dietary counselling are also included. Primary outcomes focus on changes in reported or measured sodium and potassium intake and feasibility measures such as acceptability, recruitment, and retention.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are English-reading adults (21+) in Singapore with self-reported essential hypertension for at least six months or who are taking antihypertensive medication and who can attend Punggol or Pasir Ris Polyclinics.
Not a fit: Patients with diabetes, CKD stage 3B or higher, recent high serum potassium or low serum sodium, those taking daily potassium chloride or thiazide diuretics, pregnant people, or those with terminal illness or significant visual or mental impairment are excluded and unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the DSHP Tool could help patients lower sodium intake, raise potassium intake, and improve blood pressure control through simple clinic-based education.
How similar studies have performed: Large trials have shown that lowering sodium and increasing potassium lowers blood pressure, but deploying a brief clinic-based educational tool like the DSHP Tool in Singaporean polyclinic settings is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria for patients: * Participants who are 21 years old and above. * Participants who self-reports to have hypertension for at least six months and/ or taking at least one type of antihypertensive medication daily for at least six months * Able to read English Exclusion Criteria for patients: * Participants with type 1/ type 2 or secondary diabetes mellitus * Participants with CKD stage 3B and above * Participants with serum potassium of above 4.5mmol/L (on the latest blood test) * Participants with serum sodium of less than 135 mmol/L (on the latest blood test) * Participants who are on daily potassium chloride * Participants who are on diuretics (thiazide or thiazide like diuretics) * Participants who are pregnant * Participants who had been diagnosed with any terminal illnesses, visually impaired, disability or mental health related illnesses (visually impaired refers to individuals who self-report to have difficulty reading the wordings on the patient consent form, even with the use of visual aids) * Participants who are not clinically stable (Clinically stable patients are defined in this study as: * Has clinic BP 100-160/60-100 mmHg, Heart Rate (HR) 60-100 bpm * No recent hospitalizations (within the last 3 months) due to hypertensive emergencies, strokes, myocardial infarctions or other acute cardiovascular events * No recent symptoms such as severe dizziness, fainting, or chest pain) \*Participants who are on PRN potassium supplements is not an exclusion criteria Inclusion criteria for Healthcare providers: * HCPs who had prior experience in advising patients on dietary salt reduction * HCPs who self-reported to have ever treated patients with hypertension Exclusion criteria for healthcare providers -nil
Where this trial is running
Singapore, Singapore
- Jingfeng Sun — Singapore, Singapore, Singapore (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: SUN JINGFENG, Masters in Medicine(Fam Med)
- Email: jingfengsun88@gmail.com
- Phone: +6591390121
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.