The effects of lay counseling on medication adherence and blood pressure: adjunctive treatment for hypertension.
Ten noncompliant hypertensive patients were monitored and received counseling from trained aides. Monitoring and lay counseling was associated with a reduction of -10 mmHg in systolic blood pressure and of -7 mmHg in diastolic pressure (P less than 0.05). Medication adherence increased from 69% to 84%. Counseling resulted in pressure decreases equal to those obtained by usual care for similar but compliant patients. This analysis provides a model for paraprofessional adjunctive counseling of patients thought to be adhering poorly to their medication regimen, which may improve control of hypertension.
D001794:Blood Pressure; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic