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Hypertension research 'supports' PharmaSmart blood pressure kiosks

A clinical study published by the Journal of the American Society of Hypertension found that the PharmaSmart kiosk "closely approximated mean daytime ambulatory BP, supporting the use of serial readings from this device in the assessment of blood pressure."

December 19, 2014

A clinical study published by the Journal of the American Society of Hypertension found that the PharmaSmart kiosk "closely approximated mean daytime ambulatory BP, supporting the use of serial readings from this device in the assessment of blood pressure."

Using self-measured blood pressure on PharmaSmart kiosks located in community pharmacy settings, the study concluded that routine PharmaSmart measurements yield results similar to "automated office" blood pressure instruments, according to a company news release. The Journal results state that "with ambulatory BP as the reference standard, in-pharmacy device results were similar to automated office," according to the website.

Director of Population and Virtual Medicine Michael Rakotz MD, Northwestern Medical Group, in Evanston, Illinois, said in a statement, "We know that self-measurement of blood pressure is important, and can help patients reach and maintain their target blood pressures. We also know that pharmacists play an important role in helping patients understand their blood pressure and the medication they take to treat it. This new evidence using PharmaSmart kiosks is an important new development for patient self-measurement occurring in the communities where people live and work. One that clinicians can now better rely on for accuracy, in a location that is positioned to support the role of pharmacists contributing more significantly in blood pressure co-management."

Bruce Alpert, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Cardiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center (retired), and editorial board member of the American Journal of Cardiology stated in the announcement, "It is very important that we develop new ways to track blood pressure outside the office that are valid, affordable, and accessible to patients. We know that blood pressure kiosks are used at least 1 million times per day in the US, but most kiosk devices do not meet basic accuracy criteria. This new evidence places pharmacies using PharmaSmart kiosks on a strong clinical footing, and will improve the ability of those pharmacies to collaborate with physicians in the management of their patients’ blood pressure."