Self-monitoring of blood pressures in hypertensive subjects and its effects on patient compliance.

This study investigated the effects, if any, that teaching hypertensive patients to take their own blood pressures, as well as education and counseling, would have on compliance. Prior to the initiation of the study, the pharmacist-investigator collected data on the hypertension clinic as it traditionally functioned. This preliminary investigation included studying the work flow of the clinic and reviewing medical records to determine who among the clinic registrants met the criteria set up for inclusion in this study. During the study phase, 12 patients were educated about their disease state, counseled, and taught to take their own blood pressures, using a home blood pressure measuring device. Upon each return visit, they were evaluated by the pharmacist using such parameters as pill counts, blood pressure readings, fluctuations in body weight, and disease symptomatology. All these data were analyzed and compared to those of the 12 patients in the control group who were educated and counseled, but not taught to take their blood pressures. An overall improvement in any or all of these monitored parameters was the criterion for determining effectiveness in promoting better compliance. At the end of the five-month study, the frequency of prescription refill had increased from 38 to 72.56 percent for the treatment group and from 31.6 to 59.26 percent for the control group. There were no significant changes in the other parameters monitored during this period.