title: Patient assessment of self-measurement of blood pressure: results of a telephone survey in Germany.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To obtain information on the adoption of self-measurement of blood pressure by hypertensives and their attending physicians.
  
  
  METHODS
  Callers to the Cardiovascular Hotline Heidelberg revealing themselves to have high blood pressure were interviewed about self-recording of blood pressure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the callers about 70% practised self-measurement. Half of them bought a device on their own initiative, one-third on recommendation or prescription by their physician. A quarter of those practising the technique were introduced to it by experienced personnel and a comparable number were adequately informed about the aims and objectives. Nevertheless, more than half of those practising self-measurement claimed to be coping better with the disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data indicate that self-monitoring is widely practised by hypertensives in Germany. In contrast to this finding, too few physicians have adopted home-recording as a useful tool in the treatment of hypertension.
authors.affiliation: German Hypertension Society, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Krecke
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lütkes
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maiwald
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged