Clinical trial confirms PharmaSmart blood pressure comparable to gold standard ambulatory measurement
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A peer-reviewed clinical study recently published Nov. 19, 2014 in the Journal of the American Society of Hypertension has concluded that routine blood pressure testing on PharmaSmart kiosks “closely approximates” daytime ambulatory blood pressure measurement. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is considered the clinical gold standard for the diagnosis and management of hypertension. According to the study authors, the findings “support the use” of PharmaSmart in the assessment of hypertension.
The study, using self-measured blood pressure on PharmaSmart kiosks located in “real world” community pharmacy settings, also concluded that routine PharmaSmart measurement yields results similar to validated, averaged, “automated office” blood pressure, widely considered the most robust “in-office” method of assessing blood pressure.
Michael Rakotz, director of population and virtual medicine at Northwestern Medical Group in Evanston added, “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 comanagement.”
Yvonne Gallagher, EVP, Sav-Mor Rx stated, “Because PharmaSmart’s program is founded on clinical evidence, we can now offer local health plans a member-based, life-saving health management tool. PharmaSmart Health Screening kiosks deliver ‘source-valid’ data that support cardiovascular risk reduction. At Sav-Mor Rx/Sav-On, controlling hypertension and improving patient health outcomes is our No. 1 priority. This latest clinical research further strengthens our value proposition with payers, physicians and patients, and sends a strong message to our pharmacists that they have the tools in place to practice to the full scope of their training while generating payer incentives.”
Bruce Alpert, professor of pediatrics, Division of Cardiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center (retired), and editorial board member of the American Journal of Cardiology stated, “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 U.S., 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.”