Personalized versus usual care of previously uncontrolled hypertensive patients: an exploratory analysis

This study was conducted to explore whether the quality of provider care may contribute to blood pressure reduction and whether other factors related to the treatment of hypertension may explain decline in blood pressure. In the study, 46 uncontrolled (greater than or equal to 140/90 mm Hg), medically treated hypertensive patients who received more personalized care differed significantly in the magnitude of blood pressure reduction from 36 usual-care patients (10/7 vs 2/2 mm Hg means for systolic and diastolic blood pressure reduction, respectively). About twice as many experimental patients as controls were reclassified as having "controlled" blood pressure, and this difference reached statistical significance. A multiple regression analysis for personalized-care subjects showed that no dynamic variables were related to blood pressure changes. It was postulated that more personalized care may have accounted for the significant difference between groups in blood pressure reduction. Similar personalized monitoring services might be important additions to usual medical care in order to control blood pressure more fully in high-risk hypertensive patients.