Digital Self-Management of Hypertension Might Be More Effective Than Usual Care

Self-monitoring and self-managed medication changes can help patients reduce high blood pressure (BP), but successful programs often have required costly training, equipment, or labor. Digital interventions might be more accessible and cost-effective.

Researchers randomized 622 patients from British general practices (median age, 66) with treated BP >140/90 mm Hg to digital self-monitoring or to usual care. Patients in the intervention arm were trained online to use an automated BP monitor regularly and to transmit data electronically. When a patient's mean home BP exceeded his or her target for 2 consecutive months, an algorithm prompted the prescriber to implement a preplanned medication change. Usual-care patients had BP monitoring and me…