Pharmacotherapeutic monitoring in community pharmacies by means of ambulatory monitoring of the blood pressure

Introduction. Blood pressure (BP) in normotensive subjects follows a circadian variation pattern, with higher figures when the patient is awake and lower during night sleep, making it possible to characterize their risk profile with a greater precision.

This document shows the results of the pharmacotherapeutic monitoring service (PMS) implemented in a community pharmacy using the different methods for measuring BP that are currently available: isolated measuring in a community pharmacy (IMCP), self-measuring BP at home (SMBP) and ambulatory monitoring of the BP (AMBP).

Method. Analytical, longitudinal and prospective study with intervention, conducted in a community pharmacy located in Monfero (A Coruña, Spain) between February and July 2015. Patients with elevated BP and arterial hypertension (diagnosed or not) were selected, offered and accepted the PMS service,

Results. Case 1: 38 year old woman with episodes of high blood pressure, anxiety and insomnia. She joined PMS and her first AMBP was conducted. After sending a report to the primary care physician (PCP), he decides to start antihypertensive drug treatment. A second follow-up AMBP a few months later checks that her BP is normal. The specialist modifies the anxiolytic / antidepressant treatment, and this health problem also improves.

Case 2: 75 year old woman, hypertensive, diabetic and asthmatic. She has two DRP and an ineffective NOM for her antihypertensive therapy. Her first AMBP was conducted, and her PCP was informed. He made appropriate modifications and following several follow-up AMBP, her BP is under control.