Automatic Medication Increase Protocol in the Treatment of Elevated Blood Pressure

High blood pressure leads to heart attacks and strokes which can be prevented by blood pressure-lowering medication. However, the current office-based prescription of one pill and one dose at a time is ineffective. the investigators want to pilot-test a more effective patient-centered treatment approach, where patients will receive a prescription with gradual but automatic weekly increases of dose and number of pills. Patients will measure their blood pressure with an iPhone compatible cuff, which transmits readings to the doctor or pharmacist, who will stop escalation when the desired blood pressure level is reached. The investigators hypothesize that the intervention will decrease the time to control blood pressure and increase the overall rate of blood pressure control. Therefore, this new treatment model could prevent heart attacks and strokes, and reduce healthcare costs.