Estudio sobre el grado de adecuación de la medida de la presión arterial en las oficinas de farmacia de la provincia de Albacete a los procedimientos estándar

Abstract

AimsThe primary objective of this study were to determine the degree of accuracy of arterial pressure measurements currently performed in the community pharmacies of the province of Albacete (Spain) regarding the standard procedures in order to estimate their current utility as screening centers and for detection of people with possible high blood pressure (HBP) as well as in the follow-up of patients with a HBP diagnosis. In addition, it is aimed to know the possible technique and equipment deficiencies of the pharmacies and to estimate what the cost would be to adapt the equipment and the skills of the pharmacies in the province so that they would be able to fulfill the health care of detection and control of high blood pressure with assurance of quality. MethodsA survey was designed to establish if the equipment and skills used to measure blood pressure (BP) in the pharmacies are in line with scientific community recommendations. This survey was sent to all of the community pharmacies (CF) of the province. The results were statistically processed. ResultsEighty-five responses were obtained. Although 94% of the CF measure their client's BP on demand, only 11.3% do so in accordance with the recommendations. The investment needed to use the equipment and methodology the best in order to make valid measures of BP in the pharmacies of the province would be less than 80 euro per year. ConclusionsAlmost all (94.1%) of the pharmacies of Albacete province routinely measure their user's BP values. Nevertheless, only a minority (11.3%) measure the blood pressure with the required exactness and accuracy. The necessary investment to improve the equipment and the methodology to perform valid blood pressure measurements in the province pharmacies would have a mean cost per pharmacy that allow to make valid measures of arterial pressure in the community pharmacies of the province would have a very insignificant cost compared with the cost-effectiveness for year of life gained from the treatment of HBP. Consequently, any initiative aimed at this would be profitable health wise.