Provide Blood Pressure Monitoring to At-Risk Patients

Although home blood pressure monitors are readily available to patients, cost is often a barrier to access for the un- or underinsured. 

This project would utilize funding to obtain multiple self-monitoring blood pressure cuffs as well as educational materials for patients in Harrison College of Pharmacy clinical regions, including Auburn, Tuscaloosa/Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery, Huntsville, and Columbus, Georgia. 

By incorporating all clinical regions, we will be able to reach many patients and include pharmacy students within each region in this important outreach effort. 

The goal of this project is to develop a program at each clinical site to increase the number of patients with access to home blood pressure monitors. These self-monitoring devices would be loaned to patients for a variable length of time to monitor control of their blood pressure and allow for optimization of blood pressure therapy. By utilizing a system to loan monitors, the project will be able to assist numerous patients over an indefinite period.  

With your generous support, we can purchase 25 monitors for each of the practice sites for self-monitoring blood pressure. We would also produce educational materials about blood pressure, including target goal cards, blood pressure measurement logs, educational posters, post cards, and information concerning medication therapy and dietary intervention. 

High blood pressure (Hypertension) is the leading contributor to cardiovascular disease such as heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death. The southeastern United States has the highest prevalence of high blood pressure with approximately 40% of adults affected. 

The American Heart Association recommends patients conduct self-monitoring of their blood pressure at home as it is a better predictor of blood pressure control and has been shown to improve the level of control in individuals with high blood pressure.