Abstract:

BACKGROUND: According to the World Health Organization non-compliance in long term medical treatments such as hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia causes serious problems on patients health and general economic benefits. The average compliance ratio for using antihypertensive medications is 64%. The aim of this study is determine the effects on blood pressure control and compliance for medical treatment in hypertensive patients by sending daily `sms`. METHOD: This is a randomized controlled study. Participants were selected among hypertensive patients of Marmara University department of family medicine outpatient clinics and randomized into sms and non-sms groups. While everyday an sms has been send to the patients in the sms group for two months, there was no intervention for the control group except routine care. One week ambulatory blood pressure measurements have been requested twice of all the patients. Blood pressure measurements were done at the first and the last visit. Medicine compliance was scaled by using Modified Morrisky Questionnaire. Blood pressure measurements and compliance for medical treatment of each group was compared. RESULTS: A total of sixty patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study:45 were female,15 male; mean age was 55±11; mean BMI was 30±5; mean number of tablets per day was 4±2. There was statistically significant difference between the first and the last visit measurements for SBP and DBP for the intervention group (p=0.051 for SBP, p=0.057 for DBP). No statistically significant difference has been determined in the control group. In intervention group one week ambulatory BP measurements averages differed between the first visit and the last visit (SBP 145±8mmHg/DBP 82±6mmHg; SBP 131±7mmHg/DBP 73±7mmHg; p < 0.001). Medicine compliance ratio was 36,7% for the control group, 96,7% for the intervention group. CONCLUSION: Reminding taking antihypertensive treatment with daily sms is an effective method to control blood pressure and and to raise compliance in hypertensive patients. 

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