Helping the hypertensive patient to help himself.
The control of blood pressure in patients with hypertension is an important challenge in everyday medical practice. It can do much to reduce complications, but too often we fall short of our therapeutic goals. Much more can be done to help our patients help themselves if physicians, along with their paramedical staffs and their patients, make the effort. The results are gratifying in terms of motivation and successful long-term control of the blood pressure and the risks associated with hypertension. This paper outlines objectives and practical approaches to patient education and self-care of this common medical problem.
D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000628:therapy*; D009042:Motivation; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012648:Self Care