Bluetooth-Enabled Self-Measured Blood Pressure to Control Hypertension

Abstract

BackgroundHypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, contributing to26% of annual U.S. deaths. Unreliable office-based blood pressure (BP) measurements have spurred the adoption of self-measured BP (SMBP). However, only half of adults aged fifty to eighty with hypertension regularly monitor their BP and share BP measurements with healthcare providers. Bluetooth-enabled SMBP (BT-SMBP) is a potential solution to promote at-home monitoring and information sharing. PurposeThe purpose of this project was to evaluate the use of BT-SMBP on the frequency of home BP measurement recording, timeliness of clinic response, and effect on BP, compared to SMBP using handwritten paper logs. MethodsThis project was a program evaluation using retrospective chart review to collect and compare data for statistical analysis. ResultsData from chart reviews of nine patients were analyzed to evaluate measurement frequency, clinic response times, and BP outcomes of both paper and BT logs. Descriptive statistics revealed the trend of improved BP across all patients with BT-SMBP, with notable differences in measurement frequency and clinic response times between the groups. ConclusionControlling hypertension is crucial to improving health outcomes. SMBP is considered more accurate than in-office BP, and BT-SMBP offers accuracy and convenience by automatically logging BP measurements and facilitating sharing of BP logs with clinicians. Successfully implemented BT-SMBP programs require standardized workflows, adequate staff capacity, technological integration, and strong patient and clinician engagement