The pharmacist and the management of arterial hypertension: the role of blood pressure monitoring and telemonitoring

Randomized controlled trials have documented that a team of health care professionals which includes a physician, a nurse and a community pharmacist may improve the benefit and adherence of anti-hypertensive therapy. If such a health care model relies on blood pressure telemonitoring, it can promote a stronger relationship between health care professionals and patients, and further improve BP control of hypertension. The major benefit of this collaborative approach is to center the patient's management in a tailored way, providing comprehensive and preventive care based on health information technologies. In this review, the authors summarize recent clinical studies that evaluate the role of the community pharmacist in BP measurements, and in hypertension screening and control. The authors also describe the advantages of using blood pressure telemonitoring in home and ambulatory settings to evaluate potential alternatives to primary care in hypertension management.