Effectiveness of Home Blood Pressure Monitoring, Web Communication, and Pharmacist Care on Hypertension Control

Top Cited Papers
Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Hypertension is one of the leading causes of death worldwide.1 Almost 1 in 3 US adults has hypertension, defined as a sustained systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) of 140 and 90 mm Hg or higher, respectively.2,3 Lowering BP with antihypertensive medications decreases mortality and major disability from cardiovascular and renal disease. Hypertension, however, remains inadequately treated in the majority of affected individuals.4-6 In recent meta-analyses7,8 of quality-improvement strategies to lower BP, those targeting patients (education and self-monitoring) or adding a health care team member, such as a nurse or a pharmacist, to focus specifically on hypertension had the largest reductions in BP. Optimal methods for integrating these strategies into routine care were less certain.