Limited Health Literacy is a Barrier to Medication Reconciliation in Ambulatory Care

Background Limited health literacy may influence patients’ ability to identify medications taken; a serious concern for ambulatory safety and quality. Objective To assess the relationship between health literacy, patient recall of antihypertensive medications, and reconciliation between patient self-report and the medical record. Design In-person interviews, literacy assessment, medical records abstraction. Participants Adults with hypertension at three community health centers. Measurement We measured health literacy using the short-form Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. Patients were asked about the medications they took for blood pressure. Their responses were compared with the medical record. Results Of 119 participants, 37 (31%) had inadequate health literacy. Patients with inadequate health literacy were less able to name any of their antihypertensive medications compared to those with adequate health literacy (40.5% vs 68.3%, p = 0.005). After adjusting for age and income, this difference remained (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.9, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] = 1.3–6.7). Agreement between patient reported medications and the medical record was low: 64.9% of patients with inadequate and 37.8% with adequate literacy had no medications common to both lists. Conclusions Limited health literacy was associated with a greater number of unreconciled medications. Future studies should investigate how this may impact safety and hypertension control. Presented in part at the American Medical Association/AMA Foundation Health Literacy and Patient Safety Conference, November 16, 2006, Chicago. IL.     

医院-社区综合管理模式对高血压患者控压效果及服药依从性的影响

目的探讨医院-社区综合管理模式对高血压患者控压效果及服药依从性的影响。方法选择2013年3月—2014年3月我院和社区卫生服务中心双向转诊中就诊的高血压患者500例,均采用医院-社区综合管理模式进行干预,比较干预前后患者服药依从性和血压变化。结果干预6个月后患者收缩压和舒张压低于干预前,Morisky问卷得分高于干预前(P0.05)。结论医院-社区综合管理模式能有效提高高血压患者的服药依从性,有利于改善控压效果。     

高血压患者服药依从性的影响因素及对策

目的对门诊高血压患者服药依从性差的原因进行分析,并提出对策。方法采用访谈式对260例高血压患者进行调查,分析影响服药依从性差的主要原因。结果206例患者服药依从性差。知识缺乏、药物不良反应、服药种类多及时间长、自我管理能力低是服药依从性差的主要原因。结论加强健康教育、预防药物不良反应、按阶梯合理用药、提高自我管理能力以及建立社区、家庭一体化防治系统是提高患者服药依从性的主要对策。     

Alcohol and Hypertension

The relationship between regular alcohol consumption and blood pressure elevation is now firmly established. Outstanding issues which will be discussed relate to the nature of the dose response curve, interactions between alcohol and other dietary and behavioural factors, mechanisms involved and the question of any protective influence of alcohol on atherosclerotic and ischaemic cardiovascular disease associated with hypertension.

Alcohol is an important contributory to the prevalence of hypertension, and resistance to drug therapy in drinking communities. Heavy drinking and binge drinking increases the risk of stroke.     

Medication Discrepancies upon Hospital to Skilled Nursing Facility Transitions

BACKGROUND  Failure to reconcile medications across transitions in care is an important source of harm to patients. Little is known about medication discrepancies upon admission to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). OBJECTIVE  To describe the prevalence of, type of medications involved in, and sources of medication discrepancies upon admission to the SNF setting. DESIGN  Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS  Patients admitted to SNF for subacute care. MEASUREMENTS  Number of medication discrepancies, defined as unexplained differences among documented medication regimens, including the hospital discharge summary, patient care referral form and SNF admission orders. RESULTS  Of 2,319 medications reviewed on admission, 495 (21.3%) had a medication discrepancy. At least one medication discrepancy was identified in 142 of 199 (71.4%) SNF admissions. The discharge summary and the patient care referral form did not match in 104 of 199 (52.3%) SNF admissions. Disagreement between the discharge summary and the patient care referral form accounted for 62.0% (n = 307) of all medication discrepancies. Cardiovascular agents, opioid analgesics, neuropsychiatric agents, hypoglycemics, antibiotics, and anticoagulants accounted for over 50% of all discrepant medications. CONCLUSIONS  Medication discrepancies occurred in almost three out of four SNF admissions and accounted for one in five medications prescribed on admission. The discharge summary and the patient care referral forms from the discharging institution are often in disagreement. Our study findings underscore the importance of current efforts to improve the quality of inter-institutional communication.     

Gender Differences in Medication Management Capacity in HIV Infection: The Role of Health Literacy and Numeracy

Health literacy is emerging as a key element for successful medication management and empirical support for the efficacy of numeracy in the health context is rising as well. Little is known, however, about their unique effects among women and men. Given the importance of accurate medication management for effective treatment of HIV, the relation of these variables to medication management needs to be assessed. We therefore tested the relation of health literacy (reading comprehension) and numeracy to one’s ability to manage a “mock” HIV regimen and whether men and women differed in these abilities. Results showed that women were less able than men to follow medication instructions and answer questions about the mock regimen. Numeracy mediated the relationship between gender and medication management. These findings highlight skills used in managing medication regimens and suggest avenues to target for identification and intervention in medication management among women and men with HIV.     

Stress, menopausal status and nocturnal blood pressure dipping patterns among hypertensive women

BACKGROUND:

A less than 10% decline in blood pressure during the night is known as a nondipping blood pressure (BP) pattern. Nondipping BP has been shown to be associated with target organ damage and poorer cardiovascular outcomes. Additionally, some evidence suggests that hypertensive nondipping women are at greater risk for target organ damage than hypertensive nondipping men.

OBJECTIVE:

To determine whether stress, demographics, menopausal status or sleep quality are associated with nondipping BP among hypertensive women.

METHODS:

A cross-sectional study design was used to describe the relationship between stress and dipping status among a sample of hypertensive women and to describe the sample by age, ethnicity, marital status, menopausal status, current medications and sleep quality.

RESULTS:

The study sample consisted of 47 women (mean [± SD] age 57±13.9 years) with essential or office hypertension who underwent 24 h ambulatory BP monitoring, and completed stress and sleep quality measurements. Thirty-one women (66%) were classified as dippers and 16 (34%) were classified as nondippers. Nondippers were older (P=0.04), postmenopausal (P=0.003) and had lower stress scores (P=0.02) than their dipper counterparts. Postmenopausal status significantly predicted nondipping (OR 16; 95% CI 1.9 to 136.4).

CONCLUSION:

These findings were of interest given that some women had a nondipping BP pattern and significantly lower stress scores. It is possible that there are fundamentally different physiological mechanisms that explain this nondipping phenomenon. In the future, the identification of specific hemodynamic mechanisms associated with nondipping could potentially influence the choice of antihypertensive treatment regimens for nondipper hypertensive patients.     

Enhancing hypertension awareness and management in the elderly: lessons learned from the Airdrie Community Hypertension Awareness and Management Program (A-CHAMP)

BACKGROUND:

High blood pressure (BP) is an established and modifiable cardiovascular risk factor; however, awareness and management of this primarily asymptomatic disease remains suboptimal.

OBJECTIVES:

The Airdrie Community Hypertension Awareness and Management Program (A-CHAMP) was a community-based BP program for seniors designed to improve public and health care provider awareness and management of hypertension.

METHODS:

Volunteer peer health educators (VPHEs) were recruited from the community and trained to manage BP screening sessions in local pharmacies. Airdrie (Alberta) residents 65 years of age and older were invited by their family physicians (FPs) to attend the A-CHAMP sessions. VPHEs identified participants’ cardiovascular risk factors, assessed BP with a validated automated device and implemented a management algorithm. Participants with BP higher than 159/99 mmHg were directed to their pharmacists and FPs. All participants with elevated BP at the initial A-CHAMP session were invited to return to a follow-up session four to six months later.

RESULTS:

Thirty VPHEs were recruited and trained. All 15 FPs and all six pharmacies in Airdrie participated. VPHEs assessed 406 seniors (approximately 40% of Airdrie seniors) during the three-month program. One hundred forty-eight participants (36.5%) had elevated BP at their first session. Of these, 71% returned for the follow-up session four to six months later. The mean (± SD) systolic BP decreased by 16.9±17.2 mmHg (P<0.05, n=105) compared with their first visit, and 56% of participants (59 of 105) reached Canadian targets for BP.

CONCLUSIONS:

A-CHAMP raised awareness, and identified and managed seniors with hypertension. At follow-up, BP showed statistically and clinically significant and sustained improvement. Participating health care providers and VPHEs indicated that A-CHAMP was effective and feasible in improving awareness and control of hypertension.     

老年原发性高血压患者心脑血管事件与动态血压的关系

目的 :探讨动态血压及偶测血压与高血压预后的关系。　　方法 :随访的 12 9例老年原发性高血压患者入选时分别测量基础状态下动态血压及诊室血压 ,并根据白昼舒张压水平分为高、中、低、3组 (HL组 36例、ML组 5 1例、L L组 42例 ) ,然后在平均 38个月随访观察与原发性高血压相关的心脑血管事件。　　结果 :12 9例中发生心、脑、肾各类事件者 2 2例。单因素分析表明事件患者各项动态血压参数明显高于非事件患者(P<0 .0 5～ 0 .0 1) ,而两者诊室血压间无显著差异 (P>0 .0 5 )。L L、ML、HL 3组中事件发生率分别为 2例 / 10 0人年、5 .1例 / 10 0人年及 9.5例 / 10 0人年。多因素分析显示 :收缩压节律、夜间收缩压水平及总胆固醇水平为高血压患者事件发生的独立危险因素 ,分别为 RR=3.0 5、RR=1.2 7、RR=1.48(P<0 .0 5～ 0 .0 1)。　　结论 :动态血压在判断高血压预后方面较诊室血压更具有临床意义 ,较高的动态血压水平 (白昼舒张压水平 )提示不良的预后 ,收缩压节律、夜间收缩压水平是预测高血压患者心脑血管事件及肾脏受损的独立危险因素。     

动态血压监测对老年高血压病的诊断价值及其临床意义

目的评价动态血压监测对老年高血压病的诊断价值。方法对56例诊所诊断的初发的老年高血压病患者以及62例诊所诊断正常血压偏高的老年人进行动态血压监测。结果诊所诊断为高血压病患者中有13例为白大衣高血压，占23．2％(13／56)。诊所诊断为正常血压偏高其中有11例为夜间高血压病患者，占17．7％(11／62)。结论老年高血压病患者中白大衣高血压发生率较高，血压正常的老年人中有部分患者为夜间高血压。     

动态血压负荷值与高血压病左室肥厚的关系探讨

对７８ 例高血压病患者进行了２４ 小时动态血压监测,并分析其２４ 小时、白昼和夜间血压负荷值。结果Ａ组（单纯高血压组）血压负荷值明显高于正常,但夜间血压负荷值较白昼明显降低。Ｂ组（高血压左室肥厚组）血压负荷值较Ａ组明显增高,尤其是夜间血压负荷值明显增高（Ｐ＜ ０．０５、０．０１）。提示动态血压负荷值增高对高血压左室肥厚（ＬＶＨ）的发生起重要作用。     

Improving Medication Adherence in Patients with Hypertension: A Randomized Trial

Background and Purpose

In patients with hypertension, medication adherence is often suboptimal, thereby increasing the risk of ischemic heart disease and stroke. In a randomized trial, we investigated the effectiveness of a multifaceted pharmacist intervention in a hospital setting to improve medication adherence in hypertensive patients. Motivational interviewing was a key element of the intervention.

Methods

Patients (n = 532) were recruited from 3 hospital outpatient clinics and randomized to usual care or a 6-month pharmacist intervention comprising collaborative care, medication review, and tailored adherence counseling including motivational interviewing and telephone follow-ups. The primary outcome was composite medication possession ratio (MPR) to antihypertensive and lipid-lowering agents, at 1-year follow-up, assessed by analyzing pharmacy records. Secondary outcomes at 12 months included persistence to medications, blood pressure, hospital admission, and a combined clinical endpoint of cardiovascular death, stroke, or acute myocardial infarction.

Results

At 12 months, 20.3% of the patients in the intervention group (n = 231) were nonadherent (MPR <0.80), compared with 30.2% in the control group (n = 285) (risk difference −9.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], −17.3, −2.4) and median MPR (interquartile range) was 0.93 (0.82-0.99) and 0.91 (0.76-0.98), respectively, P = .02. The combined clinical endpoint was reached by 1.3% in the intervention group and 3.1% in the control group (relative risk 0.41; 95% CI, 0.11-1.50). No significant differences were found for persistence, blood pressure, or hospital admission.

Conclusions

A multifaceted pharmacist intervention in a hospital setting led to a sustained improvement in medication adherence for patients with hypertension. The intervention had no significant impact on blood pressure and secondary clinical outcomes.     

氨氯地平对盐敏感性高血压患者动态血压影响—依那普利的对比试验

目的：观察氨氯地平对盐敏感性高血压患者的降压作用。　对象和方法：６０ 例轻、中度高血压患者用急性静脉盐水负荷试验确定盐敏感性,于服用安慰剂两周后随机分为氨氯地平组和依那普利组,总疗程 １２ 周,于治疗前、后监测 ２４ 小时动态血压。　结果：氨氯地平对盐敏感性高血压患者的降压作用明显优于依那普利, Ｐ均＜ ０．０１。　结论：氨氯地平对盐敏性高血压的降压作用优于依那普利。     

老老年高血压患者动态血压参数与缺血性脑卒中的相关性

目的探讨老老年高血压患者动态血压参数与缺血性脑卒中的关系。方法纳入131例老老年高血压患者,按有无缺血性脑卒中将患者分为缺血性脑卒中组和非卒中组,所有患者均行动态血压监测及血生物化学检查。结果两组患者的年龄、性别及舒张压均无统计学差异;缺血性脑卒中组收缩压(166.82±24.00 mmHg比154.81±23.71 mmHg)、脉压(81.29±17.44 mmHg比72.41±17.32 mmHg)及单纯收缩期高血压较非卒中组显著升高(P<0.01)。缺血性脑卒中组白昼平均收缩压和白昼平均舒张压较非卒中组升高(137.57±19.66 mmHg比132.00±15.09 mmHg、71.92±12.47 mmHg比68.29±10.82 mmHg,P<0.05),夜间平均收缩压和夜间平均舒张压差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);两组患者血压节律差异有统计学意义。结论收缩压、脉压、血压节律异常是老老年高血压患者缺血性脑卒中的危险因素。     

Hypertension in children and adolescents

Pediatric hypertension (HTN) has become the focus of interest recently due to its increasing prevalence. This is mainly related to the increase in childhood obesity, although the current evidence suggests that other lifestyle factors, apart from obesity, contribute to high blood pressure (BP) in childhood. Traditionally, office BP measurements by the physician have been the cornerstone for the assessment of HTN in children. However, since the white coat and masked HTN phenomena are not rare in childhood, out-of-office BP measurements have significantly improved the accurate diagnosis of HTN and decision making. Ambulatory BP monitoring is regarded as indispensable for the evaluation of pediatric HTN, providing details not only for the staging for HTN, but also for the study of other ambulatory BP patterns. It should be pointed out that HTN in children and adolescents is associated with target-organ damage which is significant in terms of cardiovascular risk. The current knowledge, outlined in the present review, is expected to help in early and accurate diagnosis as well as in the management of HTN in children and adolescents.     

动态血压负荷在老年高血压病分期中的价值

为探讨动态血压负荷在老年高血压病分期中的价值，采用无创性动态血压监测系统，记录老年正常血压16例和高血压Ⅰ期25例、Ⅱ期34例、Ⅲ期27例患者24小时动态血压负荷值。结果发现，高血压各组血压负荷依次递增。Ⅰ期组与正常组比较，24小时及昼夜血压负荷均存在非常显著性差异（P＜0．001）；Ⅱ期组与Ⅰ期组比较，夜间血压负荷明显增加（P＜0．001）；Ⅲ期组与Ⅱ期组比较，24小时收缩压负荷存在显著性差异（P＜0.01），且血压负荷值主要分布在异常血压次高段。血压负荷反映异常血压出现的时间、频率和血压段，在老年高血压病分期中起重要作用。