Web-based care trialed for hypertension

A new study has found that hypertension can be controlled without office visits using web-based care and home blood pressure checks.

When using the internet, the number of people whose blood pressure was controlled doubled, the findings showed.

Beverly B Green, leader of the study said: "Patients may visit their doctors once a year, or less often. But their blood pressure can be out of control between visits.

"The web-based care from pharmacists and regular home blood pressure monitoring helped get nearly twice as many patients under control, with average blood pressure drops of 14 points systolic and seven points diastolic."

Because hypertension patients rarely present symptoms, Dr Green added, less than half have their blood pressure under control, and with around one in three adults having the disorder the new system could benefit many.

"Uncontrolled hypertension can lead to stroke, heart attacks, heart failure and kidney disease," Dr Green commented, and as Americans grow older and bigger, the problem is more likely to spread.