Implementing a Home-Based Blood Pressure Monitoring Program to Improve Hypertension Management

Abstract

Hypertension is a major problem in the United States. It is critical to identify effective strategies to treat and manage hypertension. An experimental design was utilized to determine the effectiveness of home-based blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) in the management of prehypertension, newly diagnosed, or uncontrolled hypertension. A randomized convenience sample of 20 adults was recruited into a control (n=9) and experimental (n=11) group. The translational care project was conducted over 60 days where participants measured their blood pressures as instructed for the intervention and control groups. An independent t-test was conducted to analyze the effectiveness of HBPM on the participants’ blood pressure, blood pressure knowledge, self-care, and medication adherence utilizing subsequent scales. There was a statistically insignificant increase in systolic blood pressure, but a statistically significant increase in diastolic blood pressure between the experimental and control groups at 60 days. There was no statistical significance in the improvement of HBPM adherence, knowledge, self-care, or medication adherence between the two groups at 60 days. While there is limited statistical support for this translational research project, other resources support HBPM as an innovative program that has the potential to provide healthcare providers an avenue for more timely, effective, and individualized patient care. Literature demonstrates that improved blood pressure control has the potential to decrease the prevalence of co-morbid conditions and decrease health care costs. With an increase in successful studies legislation could be challenged to increase coverage and reimbursement cost for blood pressure monitors and more HBPM programs in practice. Continued research related to HBPM and patient adherence is necessary to improve patient access to affordable care and overall self-care outcomes

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