Successful modules of community hypertension control programs--examples from the German National High Blood Pressure Programme.

The National Blood Pressure Programme in Germany (NBP) was established in 1985. The NBP is committed to a process of programme development and implementation that incorporates public health relevance, recent research results, and attempts of scientific module evaluation. Among selected examples of successful modules, worksite screenings for hypertension turned out as particularly effective in that they were fairly easy to conduct, well-accepted by the work force, and efficiently reaching the target group of unaware male hypertensives below the age of 50 years. Blood pressure measurement training for nurses is another example of a nationwide successful module where standardized procedures for a valid and reliable detection and diagnosis of hypertension were disseminated. In the course of time, blood pressure self-measurement and ambulatory blood pressure measurement were integrated into these classes. As another example, a telephone service for the public was initiated to respond to the increasing demand for reliable information about diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of hypertension and related disorders. This service is available to anybody in the country during workdays, and the necessary up-to-date background information is provided by scientists and clinicians of the German Hypertension League. Moreover, regular National Blood Pressure Conferences are held every two to three years which try to present a varied scope of recent relevant developments in the field of cardiovascular disease prevention: they find a marked and pronounced reflection in the printed media and help to distribute the message across the country.