# The MyHEART Study: A Young Adult Hypertension Self-Management Randomized Controlled Trial

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · 2021 · $709,815

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Nearly 1 in 5 young adults (18-39 year-olds) has hypertension, increasing their risk of heart failure, stroke, and
chronic kidney disease. Yet, only 35% of hypertensive young adults achieve control. Young adults have a
longer exposure to hypertension and a greater lifetime risk for cardiovascular disease. Self-management
programs targeted to adults ≥50 years old effectively reduce blood pressure (primarily through a focus on
medication adherence). However, these programs do not address barriers specific to young adults such as
frequent healthcare and vocational transitions, new life responsibilities, and less interest in health-related
goals. A primary focus on treatment with medication is not enough to manage blood pressure in young adults.
Additional hypertension self-management (defined as home blood pressure monitoring and intensive lifestyle
modification) is necessary to achieve and maintain lower blood pressures in young adults over their lifetimes.
To address this major gap in hypertensive care, MyHEART (My Hypertension Education And Reaching Target
program), a team-based hypertension self-management intervention, was informed and piloted by young
adults, providers, and healthcare administrators. MyHEART includes four evidence-based self-management
components: 1) telephone-based health coaching with adult education specialists to teach and monitor self-
management skills, 2) electronic health record documentation of coach-patient telephone contacts, 3)
individualized hypertension education materials, and 4) home blood pressure monitoring. This feasible,
innovative proposal targets young adults with uncomplicated and complicated hypertension (hypertension with
diabetes and/or chronic kidney disease) and differs from previous studies by targeting barriers specific to
young adults. MyHEART directly addresses NHLBI's Strategic Priority 3.1.a: “Develop and evaluate new
approaches to implement proven preventive and lifestyle interventions.”
The long-term goal is to disseminate effective interventions to improve hypertension control for young adults.
This 5-year proposal is a randomized controlled trial in two large healthcare systems (Madison and Milwaukee,
WI) to evaluate MyHEART's impact on blood pressure among 310 geographically and racially/ethnically
diverse young adults. Our co-primary outcome is a change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure after 6
and 12 months in young adults (18-39 year-olds) with uncontrolled hypertension. The primary hypothesis is
that the implementation of MyHEART will significantly decrease clinic and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressures
and increase hypertension self-management, compared to usual clinical care. To ensure successful
completion of this proposal, a multi-disciplinary team has piloted MyHEART and established strong multi-
institutional support through the Wisconsin Network for Health Research. The results of this study will address
an unmet need to develop evidence-based int...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10171607
- **Project number:** 5R01HL132148-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- **Principal Investigator:** Kara K Hoppe
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $709,815
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-05-01 → 2023-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10171607

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10171607, The MyHEART Study: A Young Adult Hypertension Self-Management Randomized Controlled Trial (5R01HL132148-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10171607. Licensed CC0.

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