Coronary Artery Disease and Hypertension: Outcomes of a Pharmacist-Managed Blood Pressure Program

• Published in: Pharmacotherapy 2006-09, Vol.26 (9), p.1333-1341
• Main Authors: McConnell, Karen J., Zadvorny, Emily B., Hardy, Angela M., Delate, Thomas, Rasmussen, Jon R., Merenich, John A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ACE inhibitor; Aged; angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Antihypertensive Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Cardiology. Vascular system; clinical pharmacy specialist; Cohort Studies; coronary artery disease; Coronary Artery Disease - drug therapy; Coronary Artery Disease - physiopathology; Coronary heart disease; Drug Monitoring; Female; generic drug use; Heart; Humans; hypertension; Hypertension - drug therapy; Hypertension - physiopathology; Male; Medical sciences; pharmacist; Pharmacists
• ISSN: 0277-0008; 1875-9114
• DOI: 10.1592/phco.26.9.1333

Study Objective. To assess the effectiveness of a pharmacist‐managed service in improving hypertension control among patients with coronary artery disease. Design. Prospective cohort study Setting. Health maintenance organization. Patients. Three hundred seventy‐six patients with uncontrolled hypertension and coronary artery disease. Intervention. Pharmacist‐managed, physician‐supervised population‐management approach to optimize evidence‐based drug management. Measurements and Main Results. Blood pressure reduction and control were evaluated, as well as the use of angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors and generic antihypertensive drugs during 7‐month follow‐up. At baseline, mean ± SD age was 70.4 ± 8.8 years, 247 (65.7%) were men, 201 (53.5%) had a history of myocardial infarction, and 237 (63.0%) had diabetes mellitus. Baseline mean systolic blood pressure was 151 mm Hg, and none had achieved their blood pressure goal. During follow‐up, mean systolic blood pressure decreased 16.1 mm Hg overall (p