Self-Monitoring Blood Pressure as a Tool in the Primary Care Setting

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to incorporate educational support regarding self-monitoring blood pressure (SMBP) into the hypertensive patient’s treatment regimen, with the ultimate intent of improving blood pressure (BP) control in the primary care setting. Background: Hypertension (HTN) is a chronic disease that puts an individual at major risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and premature death. Despite these consequences, uncontrolled HTN remains a large problem and thus a priority in the primary care setting, where it is most often managed. Primary treatments for HTN include pharmacologic management and lifestyle modifications. Strong evidence shows promising results for the use of SMBP at home, along with additional support, such as education, to decrease BP. Methods: Patients at Family Care in Maricopa County were recruited to participate if they had been diagnosed with HTN in the past or if their BP was elevated at their clinic visit. Following the patient’s encounter with his/her provider, one-on-one verbal teaching occurred, and an accompanying educational handout was given. Patients received a handout about the condition of HTN, the consequences of uncontrolled BP, and how to correctly perform SMBP at home. Pre- and post-education questionnaires were used to quantify the impact of the education and to determine its effectiveness on SMBP. Patients were asked to return the latter within ten days of the education session. Results: 14 patients were recruited for this project, and five of these subjects participated in the post-education questionnaires. All five subjects demonstrated an increase in knowledge following the intervention. 20% demonstrated an increase in SMBP at home. Conclusions: Education increased the patient’s understanding of HTN and SMBP. However, more research is needed to determine the effect of education on the patient’s performance of SMBP at home and on their BP measurements.