Associations between daily home blood pressure measurements and self-reports of lifestyle and symptoms in primary care: the PERHIT study
Creators: name: Andersson, Ulrika
name: Nilsson, Peter M.
name: Kjellgren, Karin
name: Ekholm, Mikael
name: Midlöv, Patrik
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Medicine
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Biotechnology
subject: Science Policy
subject: Sociology
subject: FOS: Sociology
subject: Immunology
subject: FOS: Clinical medicine
subject: Cancer
subject: Mental Health

description: To explore in a primary care setting the associations between patients’ daily self-measured blood pressure (BP) during eight weeks and concurrent self-reported values of wellbeing, lifestyle, symptoms, and medication intake. We also explore these associations for men and women separately. The study is a secondary post-hoc analysis of the randomised controlled trial PERson-centeredness in Hypertension management using Information Technology (PERHIT). The trial was conducted in primary health care in four regions in Southern Sweden. Participants (<i>n</i> = 454) in the intervention group in the PERHIT-trial used an interactive web-based system for self-management of hypertension for eight consecutive weeks. Each evening, participants reported in the system their wellbeing, lifestyle, symptoms, and medication adherence as well as their self-measured BP and heart rate. Association between self-reported BP and 10 self-report lifestyle-related variables. Self-reported less stress and higher wellbeing were similarly associated with BP, with 1.0 mmHg lower systolic BP and 0.6/0.4 mmHg lower diastolic BP (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Adherence to medication had the greatest impact on BP levels (5.2/2.6 mmHg, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Restlessness and headache were also significantly associated with BP, but to a lesser extent. Physical activity was only significantly associated with BP levels for men, but not for women. In hypertension management, it may be important to identify patients with high-stress levels and low wellbeing. The association between medication intake and BP was obvious, thus stressing the importance of medication adherence for patients with hypertension. Associations between daily home blood pressure (BP) and self-reports of lifestyle and symptoms have not been previously well explored.Self-reported higher wellbeing, lower restlessness, less stress, and higher medication adherence were significantly associated with lower same-day BP levels.Physical activity was significantly associated with same-day BP for men, but not for women.Using a hypertension management system may be a valuable tool for communication between the patient and physician. Associations between daily home blood pressure (BP) and self-reports of lifestyle and symptoms have not been previously well explored. Self-reported higher wellbeing, lower restlessness, less stress, and higher medication adherence were significantly associated with lower same-day BP levels. Physical activity was significantly associated with same-day BP for men, but not for women. Using a hypertension management system may be a valuable tool for communication between the patient and physician.