A patient education program stressing self-care significantly reduced systolic (-13 vs 3 mm Hg) and diastolic (-8 vs 0.5 mm Hg) blood pressure compared to usual care over six months.
RCT (n=39)
randomized
No
Does a patient education program stressing self-care reduce blood pressure in hypertensive patients receiving drug therapy in a private practice?
A targeted patient education program focusing on behavioral objectives significantly improves blood pressure control in hypertensive patients in a solo private practice setting.
Absolute Event Rate: -13% vs 3%
Hypertension is one of the most common diseases seen by the practicing physician. Yet, because of noncompliance, conditions of many hypertensive patients are not effectively controlled by treatment. The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of a patient education program in reducing the blood pressure (BP) of hypertensive patients in a private, solo medical practice. The intervention program focused on three behavioral objectives-pill taking, appointment keeping, and dietary sodium reduction while stressing the need for taking responsibility for one's own care. It was hypothesized that patients receiving an educational intervention stressing self-care would benefit more than those receiving the usual medical care. A substantial reduction in BP was considered to be the measure of successful treatment. Thirty-nine hypertensive patients receiving drug therapy from a private, solo medical practice were randomized into either a treatment group or a control group. A comparison of means disclosed no pretreatment differences between the groups' average BPs. After following up both groups for six months, mean changes in BP were compared for both treatment and control patients using a two-sample t test for independent samples. The BP fell in the treatment group (-13 mm Hg, systolic; -8 mm Hg, diastolic) but rose slightly in the control group (3 mm Hg, systolic 0.5 mm Hg, diastolic). The difference in changes was significant for both the systolic and diastolic BP.
Daniel K. Zismer (Mon,) conducted a rct in Hypertension (n=39). Patient education program stressing self-care vs. Usual medical care was evaluated on Change in systolic blood pressure. A patient education program stressing self-care significantly reduced systolic (-13 vs 3 mm Hg) and diastolic (-8 vs 0.5 mm Hg) blood pressure compared to usual care over six months.