title: [Drug savings and the outpatient monitoring of arterial pressure in a group of hypertensive patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether the introduction of out-patient blood pressure monitoring (OBPM) to follow up patients diagnosed with light hypertension (HT) decreases the use of medicines and so saves money.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Urban health centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with light HT not being treated with medication, with two or less cardiovascular risk factors and who had type 0 or 1 curves in OBPM and a mean daily blood pressure < 135/85 mm Hg.
  
  
  RESULTS
  OBPM over 24 hours with a Spacelabs 90202 oscillometer. 23 patients (15 women), average age 38.6 +/- 8, were studied. Savings generated ranged from 153,628 pesetas, when the cheapest thiazide diuretic was prescribed, to 5,208,258 pesetas, when the dearest ACEI was chosen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Monitoring HT with OBPM led to a decrease in the use of medicines to combat hypertension, with considerable savings. These findings cannot be generalised. We believe that Primary Care must have access to OBPM in order to manage hypertension, apart from the savings involved.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud Universitario La Paz, Unidad Docente de MFyC, Badajoz.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pozuelo
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Vergeles-Blanca
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cordero
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Buitrago
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017046:Cost Savings / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics*; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents