Multidisciplinary Management of Hypertension

Abstract

disease. Chronic disease management techniques have recently been heralded as the solution not only to our national but also to the global health care crisis. One of the key principles of chronic disease management is the use of multidisciplinary teams. What this means is that a variety of health professionals, working together, are able to synergistically use their respective skills for the benefit of the patient. Multidisciplinary teams supply the right provider, at the right place, at the right time. Pharmacists can be key players on the multidisciplinary health care team, particularly as applied to hypertension. We know that patients see pharmacists much more frequently than they see physicians — an average of 14 times per year versus twice per year. This gives the pharmacist an opportunity to play a key role in the management of hypertension, through: Screening: We know that about half of those with hypertension are unaware that they have it. Thus, screening for hypertension in a pharmacy setting can be a valuable means of bringing such people to medical attention. Control: There is a major emphasis on home and other out-of-office blood pressure monitors in the Canadian Hypertension Education Program (CHEP) guidelines. Such devices facilitate accurate diagnosis, patient adherence, and improved control of blood pressure. Pharmacists can play an important role in helping hypertensive patients select appropriate home blood pressure monitors or in providing access to out-of-office blood pressure measurement devices. Education: Busy physicians often have little time to discuss the use, interactions, and side effects of antihypertensive medications during an office visit. The pharmacist is an obvious source for such information. Moreover, pharmacists can provide useful information on how to most appropriately take blood pressure medication.