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(Hypertension. 2009;53:e24.)
© 2009 American Heart Association, Inc.

Letters to the Editor

Additional Benefits of Home Blood Pressure Monitors

Department of Internal Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Christina Stamoolis

Department of Family Medicine, Bayfront Med Center, St Petersburg, Fla

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

To the Editor:

We read with interest the call to action on the use of home blood pressure (BP) monitors by Pickering et al¹ in the July issue of Hypertension. This article mentioned numerous benefits of having BP monitors and advocated use in several special populations. We suggest adding 2 additional benefits, improved BP control and improved patient confidence in self-management, and 1 additional population, indigent individuals.

Possession and use of a home BP monitor has the potential to improve patient knowledge concerning BP control, enabling better decisions and promoting confidence in BP management. This is the basis of 2 ongoing projects, the Adherence and Blood Pressure Control Trial² and the Take Control of your Blood Pressure Study.³ These studies are examining compliance and BP control benefits of interventions, including provision of a home monitor.

In a similar vein, we recently completed a 2-year pilot study examining the benefits of distributing home BP monitors to a poor inner-city population. A total of 63 patients enrolled in this Ohio State University Institutional Review Board–approved study of subjects with hypertension in 2 clinics run by the Columbus Neighborhood Health Centers. Subjects received information on hypertension control, were managed by their usual physicians, and were randomly assigned to receive a free home monitor, with instructions on its use, or usual care. Medication compliance and BP control were measured over 1 year, and 3 survey items on the patient’s beliefs in their ability to successfully manage BP were checked at the study’s beginning . . . [Full Text of this Article]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. G. Pickering Response to Additional Benefits of Home Blood Pressure Monitors Hypertension, April 1, 2009; 53(4): e25 - e25. [Full Text] [PDF]