Text Messages and Blood Pressure Control

Hypertension remains one of the most important preventable contributors to disease and death. It is the most common risk factor for strokes and myocardial infarctions in the U.S., and is associated with the greatest attributable risk for mortality among all modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular events. Over 50 million people are living with hypertension in the United States, and hypertension is one of the most common reasons for visits to a healthcare provider. Abundant evidence from randomized controlled trials has shown benefit of antihypertensive drug treatment in reducing important health outcomes in persons with hypertension. Yet, approximately 20% of U.S. adults are unaware that they have the disease. Hypertension is more difficult to diagnose than other common medical illnesses. In most cases, hypertension is asymptomatic; and accordingly patients do not seek care for it as they do for other common symptomatic illness. Patients are frequently diagnosed after presenting with end organ disease (e.g., myocardial infarctions, congestive heart failure, strokes, or renal failure). Another complicating aspect related to diagnosing uncontrolled hypertension is that multiple blood pressure measurements are needed to establish a diagnosis. Blood pressure readings can be falsely elevated in clinic due to the presence of an observer or the clinical surrounding (e.g., white coat hypertension). Even if an elevated blood pressure reading is identified in a clinic setting, more readings are needed in order to make it possible for physicians to decide about the next appropriate medical intervention. This need for multiple BP measurements over time often delays both initiating and modifying medical therapy for uncontrolled hypertension. Having patients take their BP at home facilitates the more timely diagnosis of uncontrolled hypertension by reducing diagnostic uncertainty. In fact, home measurements are better diagnostic indicators of stroke and cardiovascular mortali