Organised systems of regular follow-up and review can improve blood pressure control

January 01, 0001

Organised systems of regular follow-up and review can improve blood pressure control

Clinical Question: What interventions can improve control of blood pressure in patients with hypertension?

Bottom line: An organised system of registration, recall and regular review, allied to a vigorous stepped care approach to antihypertensive treatment, reduced blood pressure and all-cause mortality in a single, large randomised control trial. Health professional (nurse or pharmacist) led care appears to be a promising way of delivering care but requires further evaluation.

Caveat:Trials of educational interventions directed at patients or health professionals were heterogeneous and appear unlikely to be associated with large net reductions in blood pressure by themselves.

Context: Hypertension is a common problem in general practice. International community based studies show blood pressure goals are achieved in only 25Ð40% of patients who take antihypertensives. There is a paucity of evidence as to how care for hypertensive patients should be delivered in the community to help improve blood pressure control.

Cochrane Systematic Review: Fahey T et al. Interventions used to improve control of blood pressure in patients with hypertension. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006;(2):CD005182. This review contains 56 trials with sizes ranging from 15 to 7772 participants.

Cochrane PEARLS Practical Evidence About Real Life Situations. No. 269, September 2007. .
Written by Brian R McAvoy. Published by the Cochrane Primary Care Group

Category: K. Circulatory. Keywords: hypertension, blood pressure, control
Synopsis edited by Dr Linda French, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 2 November 2010

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care

To obtain Pearls directly, sign up here for the english language version

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.