Hypertensive patients: Evaluation of a therapeutic education program

Abstract

Evaluation of a therapeutic education program for hypertensive patients over a 6-month period with personalized objectives. A prospective single-center study conducted in 106 patients, the study was conducted as follows: – an initial collection of epidemiological, clinical and paraclinical data from patients in normal consultation; – each patient received a therapeutic education session -personalized- with education in the use of the “hypertension follow-up notebooks” developed by the work team ( Fig. 1 ); – the monitoring of the effectiveness of the education program was carried out over three evaluation consultations over the 6 months of the survey. One hundred and six patients participated in the study: mean age 47 ± 10 years; 62.26% of them were male (66 patients). Essential hypertension in 95.28% of patients, grade II to III, uncontrolled in approximately 70% of them. With an average evolution period of 9.5 ± 7.5 years. At 6 months, a significant decrease of SAP (from 154 ± 3 to 143 ± 3 mmHg, P less than 0.01) and DAP (from 95 ± 2 to 87 ± 2 mmHg, P less than 0.01) was notified. 50.7% versus 33.8% of patients have SAP and DAP in the therapeutic objectives. The monitoring of dietary and physical activity objectives is correlated with the decrease in BP ( P < 0.05). A significant increase in self-monitoring with therapeutic decision-making ( P < 0.01). A significant decrease in hypertension-related distress and feelings of failure ( P < 0.01). Success rate among patients who chose the objective “reduce salt”: 53%, “reduce fat”: 50%, “walk several times/week (30 min)”: 88%, “exercise at least once/week”: 22%. 67% have at least one physical activity objective in place. No significant decrease in weight (−0.6 ± 4.1 kg) but 39% lost at least 2 kg. A therapeutic education program with personalized objectives can give significant results at 6 months in terms of BP figures, dietetics and physical activity, self-monitoring of hypertension while reducing feelings of distress.