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More research needed to evaluate self-measured blood pressure monitoring

Self-measured blood pressure (SMBP) monitoring to manage hypertension may offer a small benefit, but its sustainability and long-term consequences remain uncertain. That's the conclusion of a new research review from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Effective Health Care Program. The review summarizes evidence on the effectiveness of SMBP, with or without clinical support. It found that assessing the impact of SMBP monitoring accompanied by additional clinical support is difficult, given the small number of trials to assess diverse approaches. However, SMBP plus support may slightly improve blood pressure control when compared to usual care for at least up to 12 months, the report concluded. More research is needed on the long-term effects and sustainability of SMBP monitoring along with better standardization of research protocols to increase the applicability of findings and predictors of adherence.

The review, Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring: Comparative Effectiveness, adds to AHRQ's growing collection of resources on cardiovascular health.

These new materials and many others are available on AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program Web site, http://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov.

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