A home blood pressure monitor equipped with a graphic function facilitates faster blood pressure control than the conventional home blood pressure monitor

Abstract

In this study, we evaluated whether antihypertensive therapy using a home blood pressure monitor (HBPM) equipped with a graphic display of weekly and monthly averaged blood pressure (BP) can obtain better BP control than the conventional HBPM. Sixty-five hypertensive outpatients who had HBP >135/85 mm Hg were enrolled by 8 doctors in 2 different hospitals. The patients were randomly assigned either a graph-equipped HBPM (graph-equipped HBPM group; n = 33) or an HBPM without the graph function (conventional HBPM group; n = 32). The patients were treated with antihypertensive medications targeting HBP <135/85 mm Hg. After 2months, the home systolic BP level was lower in the graph-equipped HBPM group than in the conventional HBPM group (141.3 ± 15.4 vs 147.7 ± 10.8 mm Hg; P < .05); its reduction was significantly larger in the former group (11.9 vs 5.6 mm Hg; P < .05). Using an HBP device with a graphic display could accelerate the achievement of BP control. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.