[Self-measurement of blood pressure in hypertensive patients. A psychological study (author's transl)].
Risks and complications of arterial hypertension can be reduced by an active and prolonged treatment. However, only a small number of hypertensive subjects is treated effectively. The co-operation of patients in the management of the disease may be useful in the treatment of hypertension. The authors report the results of a study of thirty hypertensive patients chosen at random, who checked their arterial pressure by themselves. The psychological reactions, the advantages and disadvantages of this experience and the attitude of the attending physicians were analyzed. The majority of the patients had no difficulty in the self-measurement of blood pressure and succeeded in reaching and maintaining the values of blood pressure within satisfactory levels, getting favourable psychological effects as well. Six patients (out of the ten who were indifferent or contrary to this practice) went on measuring the arteria pressure, giving in this way a contribution to a better management of the disease. The attitude of the attending physicians was on the whole indifferent or negative towards this experience.
D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011584:Psychology
L'automisurazione della pressione arteriosa nei pazienti ipertesi. Uno studio psicologico