A randomized study comparing a patient directed hypertension management strategy with usual office-based care

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of a patient-directed management strategy with office-based management in maintaining blood pressure control in patients with chronic stable hypertension using a randomized trial of two months duration. The subjects had chronic stable essential hypertension without secondary causes or unstable cardiovascular disease and were selected through the offices of 11 family physicians and a tertiary care hypertension research unit. Patients were randomly assigned (2:1 ratio) to either a patient-directed management strategy using home blood pressure monitoring to adjust drug therapy if readings consistently exceeded defined limits, or office-based management through physician visits. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline in mean arterial pressure as determined by automatic ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Secondary endpoints were changes in compliance, quality of life, and health care resource use. Ninety-one potential subjects were screened and 31 were randomized. Subjects in the patient-directed management group employed the drug adjustment protocols appropriately without complications. A significant difference in change in mean blood pressure was observed, favoring the patient-directed management (-0.95 mm Hg and +1.90 mm Hg, respectively, for patient-directed management and office-based management, P = .039). Compliance rates and quality of life scores were not significantly different between groups. Physician visits were more frequent in the patient-directed management group (1.05 v 0.20 visits/8 weeks, respectively, for patient-directed management and office-based management groups, P = .045). A patient-directed hypertensive management strategy may be feasible for patients with chronic stable hypertension. Such a strategy may improve blood pressure control compared with usual office-based care. However, physician visits may be increased using this strategy, at least in the short term. (C) 1997 American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd.