Assessment of home blood pressure monitoring and sphygmomanometers in patients with hypertension

Abstract

Home sphygmomanometers are becoming popular. The purpose of this study is to evaluate patients' state of bringing their home blood pressure records to the clinic, the environment where the patients measure their blood pressure and the type of home devices. This study was performed in five different hospital internal medicine and nephrology outpatient clinics with 505 patients. Data was obtained with an appropriate questionnaire. 88 (17 %) of 505 patients brought their home blood pressure records. 266 (53%) of patients had home sphygmomanometers. Home devices were as follows: electronic wrist devices (46%), aneroid (25%), automated upper arm devices (19%) and mercury sphygmomanometers (7%). In patients having higher level of education, ownership of home devices and bringing of blood pressure monitoring records were more common. The highest rate of bringing blood pressure monitoring record was in the group of patients graduated from university when compared with the other groups (p<0.05). Patients graduated from secondary school, college and university were observed to have much more home devices than patients who were graduated from primary school and patients who didn't go to school (p<0.05). Although 53% of patients have home devices, only few patients brought home blood pressure measurement records. Electronic wrist devices were the most used instruments although guidelines didn't recommend.