Aldactazide

The original, "Cut Your Pressure Too: The LA Barbershop Blood Pressure Study (LABBPS)" (NCT02321618) was a highly successful cluster-randomized trial of a community centered blood pressure (BP) reduction program focused on Non-Hispanic (NH) black men who experience the highest rates of hypertension (HTN) and its complications. Patrons of 52 barbershops in Los Angeles County were randomly assigned to either an intervention arm in which barbers encouraged meetings with trained clinical pharmacists who provided HTN treatment in the barbershops or a control arm in which barbers provided educational pamphlets on HTN and encouraged physician appointments. After 6 months, the intervention group had a statistically significant reduction in systolic BP (SBP) of 21.6 mmHg compared to the control group. Results were durable at 1 year. Thereafter, a pilot study (NCT03726710) aimed at improving the efficiency of the barbershop model of HTN care by substituting in-person visits with video visits once BP was at goal was undertaken in 10 hypertensive barbershop patrons. The intervention effect was unchanged. The current study represents Aim 3 of an NIH funded renewal application entitled, "Barber and Pharmacist Coordination to Improve Blood Pressure Management in Black Men." It will build upon the foundational work of the original study and telemedicine pilot by evaluating the efficacy of a fully remote hypertension management program.

Gastric variceal bleeding is a life-threatening complication of portal hypertension in patients with cirrhosis and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Endoscopic cyanoacrylate glue injection is the current standard treatment; however, recurrent bleeding and procedure-related complications remain important concerns. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided coil and cyanoacrylate glue injection has emerged as a promising alternative that may improve variceal obliteration and reduce rebleeding rates. This prospective, randomized, open-label, parallel-group trial will compare EUS-guided coil and cyanoacrylate glue injection with conventional endoscopic cyanoacrylate glue injection in patients with cirrhosis presenting with bleeding gastric varices. A total of 158 participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either treatment arm. The primary outcome is all-cause rebleeding at 12 months. Secondary outcomes include technical success, early and late rebleeding, number of treatment sessions required for variceal obliteration, glue volume used, procedure-related adverse events, hepatic decompensation, duration of hospital stay, cost of treatment, and mortality.

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, raises the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. Medications work well for many people, but some people still have blood pressure that stays too high, or they have side effects from their medications. Researchers are looking for treatments that do not involve taking more medication. Nerves help control blood pressure by changing how blood vessels tighten and how hard the heart pumps. Because of this, treatments that act on nerves may be able to lower blood pressure. Spinal cord stimulation is a treatment already used to manage long-term pain. It uses a small device, placed under the skin during a standard operation, that sends mild electrical signals to the spine. Laboratory studies suggest that stimulating the lower part of the mid-back may also lower blood pressure, but this has not been carefully studied in people who already use these devices. This study will look at whether changing the settings on a spinal cord stimulator affects blood pressure. About 11 adults who have high blood pressure and who already have a spinal cord stimulator for long-term pain. No new device will be placed, and no surgery or other invasive procedure will be done for this study. Participants attend a series of study visits. At each visit, trained staff record blood pressure and heart rate while the stimulator is turned on, turned off, and set to other settings that the person's care team has approved and that the person finds comfortable. There are rest breaks between each setting. Over successive visits, the study team works to identify the settings that best lower blood pressure. Participants can stop at any time, and their usual settings are restored at the end of each visit. The study will also look at whether this kind of testing is practical and comfortable for participants. The results will help researchers decide whether larger studies of spinal cord stimulation for blood pressure control are worth doing.

The goal of the ADHERE-HF study is to evaluate whether care-embedded, operationally delivered digital outreach improves medication refill, adherence, and clinical outcomes among adults with heart failure who are overdue for a refill of an eligible guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) medication. The main question it aims to answer is: Does digital outreach using interactive text messages or automated telephone calls increase short-term refill of overdue heart failure medications compared with usual care? The study will evaluate the effectiveness of a digital outreach strategy delivered through existing health system communication channels. Members who have opted in to pharmacy text messaging will receive interactive text messages, while those who have not opted in will receive an interactive automated telephone call. The comparison group will receive usual care with no additional outreach.

Previous research on the osteopathic manual technique entitled "Pedal Pump" has shown health benefits, specifically increasing lymphatic flow, decreasing lower extremity edema, and decreasing serum lactic acid after maximal exercise. However, due to the limitation of human practitioners, research has been limited. The Pedal Pump is now a device which facilitates consistency in treatment and allows for increased sample size in research. This clinical trial studies the effects of 10 minutes of Pedal Pump treatment for hospitalized patients with lower extremity edema, almost the same as Pedal Pump Clinical Trial on Edema V1 that is underway; however, this study focuses primarily on the objective data gathered by trained Occupational Therapists who regularly measure lower extremities. Key Question for this second study: Is the Pedal Pump a feasible treatment for hospitalized patients? Secondary question: Does the Pedal Pump decrease lower extremity edema? This is a novel idea in its early stage of development, so Investigators anticipate product advancements, further testing with larger population sizes, and future publications.

The goal of this clinical trial is to test a low-touch vs high-touch drug-free pain self-management program that may help lower pain and improve quality of life for adults with cirrhosis and pain. Participants are assigned by chance to one of two study groups. The groups receive different levels of support. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Do the programs help lower pain? * Do the programs improve quality of life? * Is one program more effective than the other? Researchers will compare a low-touch self management program to a high-touch self-management program to see if the programs help manage pain. Participants in the low-touch arm will: * Learn new ways to manage pain without medication * Receive access to the self-guided digital self-management platform * Receive general behavioral text message nudges * Receive a free Fitbit to keep Participants in the high-touch arm will: * Learn new ways to manage pain without medication * Receive tailored access to the self-guided digital self-management platform * Received individualized pain coaching and optional group coaching sessions * Participate in a structured walking or meditation curriculum * Receive a free Fitbit to keep

The purpose of this study is to learn whether avoiding alcohol can improve heart and blood vessel health in adults who regularly drink alcohol and have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart attack and stroke. In this randomized, controlled trial, men and women aged 26 to 49 years who regularly consume alcohol and have high blood pressure will be assigned by chance to either stop drinking alcohol or continue their usual drinking habits for 8 weeks. Researchers will compare changes in blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease risk factors between the two groups. The information gained from this study may help researchers and health care providers better understand the effects of alcohol consumption on cardiovascular health and whether alcohol abstinence can reduce heart disease risk, especially in adults with high blood pressure.

The researchers will invite 30 patients in primary care who have high blood pressure to participate in this health program with a supportive partner of their choosing (these will be the "participant pairs"). Participant pairs will be invited to complete the Heart Care Pairs health program that will include up to six sessions each including 1) some education on a health habit like physical activity and heart healthy foods, 2) goal setting together, and 3) talk about healthy communication to support one another with heart healthy habits. The researchers will work with participants to address things that get in the way of coming for visits like offering transportation and offering telehealth visits. The researchers are seeing how this program works in real life so participants will be asked to complete as many sessions as they want to and can attend. The researchers will be interested in what participants think about the sessions, if they were satisfied with the visits, and if they would recommend the program to others in their community. The researchers will ask these questions in interviews with participants. The researchers will also ask up to 25 primary care workers about how they view the program as helpful to their work with patients with high blood pressure and whether they would refer more patients to the program in the future.

The purpose of this study is to learn whether a procedure called Proximal Splenic Artery Embolization (PSAE) can lower the need for repeat fluid drainage in adults with cirrhosis and a buildup of fluid in the abdomen (ascites) that is no longer controlled by water pills and diet. Participants in this study have already been told that a standard procedure called Trans jugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS) is not a safe option for them. The main objectives this study aims to answer are: * Does PSAE lower how often participants need paracentesis, the procedure used to drain fluid from the abdomen? * Does PSAE lower the total amount of fluid drained each month? * Does PSAE change the pressure inside the liver's veins and the blood flow in the liver and spleen? * Does PSAE improve day-to-day symptoms, quality of life, strength, and the ability to do usual activities? * What side effects or complications happen with PSAE in this group of people? Participants will: * Undergo one PSAE procedure, during which small coils and/or plugs are placed in the artery that supplies the spleen to slow its blood flow * Have a pressure measurement taken in the liver's veins right before and right after the procedure, with a repeat measurement at 1 month * Attend follow-up visits at 1, 3, and 6 months that include blood tests, ultrasounds, symptoms and quality-of-life questionnaires, and a review of any paracentesis sessions since the last visit * Have a Computed Tomography (CT) scan or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and an ultrasound of the liver and spleen blood vessels at the start of the study and again at 6 months

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine whether a renin-guided antihypertensive treatment strategy is feasible to implement in community primary care clinics and to explore whether spironolactone improves blood pressure control in adults with low-renin hypertension. The main questions it aims to answer are: Is it feasible to identify, recruit, randomize, and follow adults with low-renin hypertension in a pragmatic primary care-based clinical trial? Does first-line treatment with spironolactone result in greater reductions in ambulatory blood pressure compared with standard first-line antihypertensive therapy among adults with low-renin hypertension? Researchers will compare spironolactone 25 mg daily with standard first-line antihypertensive therapy (candesartan, hydrochlorothiazide, or amlodipine) to determine whether spironolactone provides better blood pressure control in adults with low-renin hypertension. Participants will: Undergo blood pressure assessments, blood tests, and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) to determine eligibility. Be randomly assigned to receive either spironolactone or a standard first-line antihypertensive medication for 12 weeks. Complete follow-up visits and laboratory testing to monitor blood pressure response, kidney function, electrolyte levels, medication adherence, and side effects. Undergo repeat blood pressure measurements and ABPM at the end of the study.

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether a short, supervised isometric handgrip exercise program is feasible and acceptable for older adults with elevated blood pressure or hypertension. It will also explore whether this type of exercise may improve blood pressure and cognitive function. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is this handgrip exercise program practical and acceptable for older adults to participate in within a community exercise setting? * Does participation in the program lead to changes in blood pressure and cognitive function? Researchers will compare two handgrip devices to determine whether the method of delivering the exercise influences feasibility and outcomes. Participants will: * Be randomly assigned to use one of two handgrip devices. * Complete supervised exercise sessions twice per week for 4 weeks. * Perform brief handgrip contractions at a set intensity during each session. * Complete blood pressure and cognitive assessments before and after the program.

This study will evaluate whether a nutritional intervention is better than another to reduce the incidence of overt hepatic encephalopathy in patients undergoing TIPS insertion for refractory ascites.