Technical Dissonance in Home Blood Pressure Monitoring After Stroke: Having the Machine, but Not Using Correctly

In individuals with hypertension (HTN), lowering blood pressure (BP) after a stroke can lower the risk of stroke recurrence, but many patients do not reach the goal. Home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) can help patients get to the goal, but rates of use and quality of technique have not been evaluated.

We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients with stroke. Patients were eligible if they had a stroke within 2 years, had HTN, and lived at home. We classified patients as correctly performing HBPM if they used an arm cuff, sat ≥ 1 min before measurement, took ≥ 2 measurements, and use within 6 months. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who had an HBPM and used it correctly, which we calculated according to race and ethnicity. We also asked patients what they would do if they found results outside the goal.

Among 150 participants, 120 (81%) possessed an HBPM and 29 (21%) used it correctly. We observed no significant disparity in rates of possession or correct use between non-Hispanic White participants and participants from underrepresented groups. Seventy percent of non-Hispanic White patients said they would contact their provider if their BP was above goal vs. 52% of underrepresented patients (P = 0.21).

Most patients after stroke have an HBPM, but only about 1 in 5 use it correctly. Approximately half of the patients from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups do not have a plan for responding to the values above goal. Our results indicate opportunities to improve the dissemination and correct use of HBPM.