supplements, were also excluded. We identified patients by search of
electronic medical records using the practice clinical software package and
the PEN Computer Systems Clinical Audit Tool,19 and assessed eligibility in
liaison with the patients’ treating general practitioners. Patients who were
interested in participating in the trial provided written consent by response
to the invitation letter. Patients’ eligibility was assessed at their first visit
with the research nurse at their usual practice. Only patients whose SBP
was X135mmHg under trial conditions were enroled in the trial.
The study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committees at
the Royal Adelaide Hospital and The University of Adelaide. The trial was
registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, number
ACTRN12611000581965.