gms | German Medical Science

28. Wissenschaftlicher Kongress der Deutschen Hochdruckliga

24. bis 27.11.2004, Hannover

Telemonitoring of early morning hypertension - a pilot study for automatic transmission of bp measurements taken at home

Telemonitoring - ein Pilotprojekt zur automatischen Übertragung von Patienten-Blutdruck-Selbstmessungen

Meeting Abstract (Hypertonie 2004)

  • S. Lüders - Medical clinic, St.-Josefs-Hospital (Cloppenburg, D)
  • A. Frerichs - INFO-Institute for hypertension and cardiovascular research (Cloppenburg, D)
  • R. Frieg - INFO-Institute for hypertension and cardiovascular research (Cloppenburg, D)
  • G. Reich - INFO-Institute for hypertension and cardiovascular research (Cloppenburg, D)
  • M. Schnieders - INFO-Institute for hypertension and cardiovascular research (Cloppenburg, D)
  • S. Rossmann - Boehringer Ingelheim (Ingelheim, D)

Hypertonie 2004. 28. Wissenschaftlicher Kongress der Deutschen Hochdruckliga. Hannover, 24.-27.11.2004. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2005. Doc04hochP129

Die elektronische Version dieses Artikels ist vollständig und ist verfügbar unter: http://www.egms.de/de/meetings/hoch2004/04hoch129.shtml

Veröffentlicht: 10. August 2005

© 2005 Lüders et al.
Dieser Artikel ist ein Open Access-Artikel und steht unter den Creative Commons Lizenzbedingungen (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.de). Er darf vervielfältigt, verbreitet und öffentlich zugänglich gemacht werden, vorausgesetzt dass Autor und Quelle genannt werden.


Gliederung

Text

Introduction: Due to various influences such as white-coat hypertension, white-coat normotension, or fluctuating compliance between visits to the office ("treatment holidays"), it has been suspected that office bp measurements do not accurately represent the course of a patients (pts) bp curve. A better view may be obtained from the pts self-measurements, provided these are recorded correctly.

To ensure the desired correct documentation and also to enable doctors to do frequent checks of the course of the pts bp, an uncomplicated telemonitoring method would be most useful. A pilot study was undertaken to determine the feasibility of bp telemonitoring.

Methods: Every patient was given a bp measuring device fitted with an upper arm cuff and a built-in modem. Pts were asked to measure their bp twice daily. Obliterating the need for the pts intervention, the data were regularly transmitted to a competence centre where the bp values were interpreted and graphically depicted. The processed data were then retransmitted to doctors. In an additional survey, doctors were asked for their assessment of the procedure.

Results and conclusion: 74 patients (male 43, mean age 61 ys; female 31, mean age 54 ys) and 22 doctors (GP or cardiologists) participated for 4 weeks in this pilot-project. The compliance concerning daily blood pressure measurements of nearly all patients was about 90%. About 80% answered an evaluation questionnaire at the end showing that 89% considered handling of bp-monitor devices as good or very good. The new technology was very well accepted by patients and participating doctors. Detailed analysis will be presented. In future it has to be proven if consequent use of telemonitoring device will improve long-term blood pressure control.