Home Blood Pressure Monitoring in Primary Care: An Essential Approach to Hypertension Management

Introduction Home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) has emerged as an essential tool for the diagnosis and management of arterial hypertension (AH). This study aimed to assess the role of HBPM as a complementary tool for the diagnosis of AH. Methods A retrospective study was conducted by analyzing a database of 189 patients from USF Corgo, who underwent HBPM between March and September 2023. After applying the exclusion criteria, the final sample consisted of 158 patients. A follow-up questionnaire was subsequently administered to 82 participants, addressing health literacy, therapeutic adherence, frequency of BP monitoring, and lifestyle modification measures. Results Of the 158 patients, 39 (24.7%) had controlled hypertension, 66 (41.8%) had uncontrolled hypertension, two (1.3%) had hypotension, 17 (10.8%) were newly diagnosed with AH, 32 (20.3%) exhibited white coat hypertension, and two (1.3%) did not have hypertension despite the presence of target organ damage. HBPM had a statistically significant impact on therapeutic adherence (p=0.007), changes in exercise habits (p=0.008), and the frequency of BP monitoring (p<0.001). Conclusions This study highlights the relevance of HBPM as a tool for detecting white coat hypertension and uncontrolled AH. Furthermore, HBPM was shown to significantly improve therapeutic adherence, BP self-monitoring, and the adoption of a healthier lifestyle.