Effectiveness of a pharmacist-led drug counseling on enhancing antihypertensive adherence and blood pressure control: a randomized controlled trial
- Resource Type
- Authors
- Martin C S, Wong; Kirin Q L, Liu; Harry H X, Wang; Catherine L S, Lee; Mandy W M, Kwan; Ken W S, Lee; Yu, Cheung; Gabrielle K Y, Lee; Donald E, Morisky; Sian M, Griffiths
- Source
- Journal of clinical pharmacology. 53(7)
- Subject
- Counseling
Male
Hypertension
Hong Kong
Humans
Blood Pressure
Female
Middle Aged
Family Practice
Pharmacists
Antihypertensive Agents
Medication Adherence
- Language
- ISSN
- 1552-4604
Adherence to antihypertensive medications represents a crucial success factor for optimal blood pressure (BP) control in clinical practice. This study evaluated whether an additional pharmacist-led medication counseling could achieve better optimal BP control and enhance compliance. In a designated family clinic in a region with similar resident characteristics to Hong Kong, patients taking ≥ one antihypertensive agent with suboptimal compliance were randomly allocated to a brief 3-minute drug advice (control; n = 161) or pharmacist counseling (intervention; n = 113). The two groups were compared by repeated measure ANOVA at 3-months and 6-months with BP control and medication compliance as outcome variables, respectively. The proportions of patients having optimal compliance increased from 0% to 41.1% at 3 months and 61.9% at 6 months (P 0.001). The proportion of patients having optimal BP control improved from 64.1% at baseline to 74.0% at 3 months and 74.5% at 6 months (P = 0.023). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the changes of BP control and compliance levels. This study implied that even a brief 3-minute drug advice might lead to improved BP levels among patients on antihypertensive medications in general practice, but did not demonstrate additional effects by pharmacist counseling.