SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Subjects and study design
Adult patients with uncontrolled hypertension (systolic BP (SBP) X140
mmHg as recorded on their medical records in the past 6 months) from
two general practices in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia, were
invited to participate in this double-blind randomised placebo-controlled
parallel 12-week trial. We included primarily patients who were on an
established plan of prescription antihypertensive medication for at least 2
months, including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II
receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, diuretics or b-blockers, and
whose general practitioner was not planning to change the medication
plan during the trial. We excluded patients with unstable or serious illness,
for example, dementia, terminal illness, recent bereavement, secondary