BPA comment on self-management of blood pressure study
UK charity the Blood Pressure Association has commented on a new study which has suggested that self-managing blood pressure can result in more significant reductions in blood pressure numbers [1].
The TASMINH2 trial is the first large study to test telemonitoring (remotely monitoring patients) and self-medicine adjustment. In this study, participants in the intervention group attended training sessions on how to use their blood pressure monitor, and learnt how to transmit readings to the research team using a modem connected to the monitor, plugged into a normal telephone socket. They took self-measurements and made changes to medication in agreement with their family doctor.
Within six months, the intervention group saw systolic blood pressure decrease by 12.9mmHg, which was 3.7mmHg greater than the control group. After 12 months, the difference between groups was 5.4mmHg.
Mike Rich, Executive Director of UK charity the Blood Pressure Association, said: “These initial trials are promising and suggest that this method has the potential to help some people better manage their blood pressure in the future.
“While this level of self-management won’t suit everyone, we at the Blood Pressure Association actively encourage home monitoring. Since high blood pressure is largely symptomless, home monitoring can really help people to feel more in control of their condition and because they can see the daily effects their medicines are having, they are more likely to continue taking them, a crucial factor in reducing strokes and heart attacks.”
[1] Reference: Telemonitoring and self-management in the control of hypertension (TASMINH2): a randomised controlled trial, Richard J McManus, J Mant, E P Bray, R Holder, M I Jones, S Greenfield, B Kaambwa, M Banting, S Bryan, P Little, B Williams, F D R Hobbs. Online article The Lancet, 8 July 2010.