Feasibility of a Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring Program to Reduce Uncontrolled Hypertension

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Health Informatics
• Preventive Medicine

Background:

• Hypertension affects one-third of US adults, necessitating effective management strategies.
• Self-measured blood pressure (SMBP) monitoring is recommended for improved hypertension control.
• Integrating SMBP with clinical support enhances patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of a SMBP monitoring program.
• To assess the integration of real-time SMBP data into outpatient practices.
• To understand patient and practice experiences with SMBP monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of an SMBP monitoring program.
• Utilized wireless Bluetooth monitors for home blood pressure tracking.
• Provided outpatient practices with real-time access to patient measurements.
• Analyzed SMBP data, user logs, and experience evaluations.

Main Results:

• 17 outpatient practices and 187 patients were recruited.
• 64% of participants monitored blood pressure consistently (≥3 times/week) after four weeks.
• 79% of patients reported improved hypertension management ability.
• Clinicians received 1,849 alerts, leading to 409 documented actions.

Conclusions:

• Combining SMBP with real-time clinical access is feasible in outpatient settings.
• The program demonstrated successful integration of home monitoring data into practice.
• This approach shows potential for enhancing hypertension management through technology.