Digital Monitoring Programs Can Aid in Reaching Blood Pressure, Cholesterol Goals

Data from a digital care program conducted out of Mss General Brigham is providing data underlining the potential impact of digital monitoring programs on achieving blood pressure and cholesterol goals.

Presented as a late-breaker at the American Heart Association 2021 Scientific Sessions, results of the study demonstrate use of a remotely delivered, navigator and pharmacist-led hypertension and lipid program played a significant role in helping patients achieve target goals in a population of more than 10,000 patients.

“Our results in over 10,000 patients demonstrate that a remote program can effectively optimize guideline-directed therapy at scale, reduce cardiovascular risk, and minimize the need for in-person visits,” said Alexander Blood, MD, cardiovascular medicine and critical care fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in a statement. “These results highlight that traditionally underserved and undertreated populations can be managed effectively with digitally enabled remote care programs.”

Using electronic medical record data, investigators identified a cohort of 37,452 who were not at treatment goals. Ultimately, 2025 patients with hypertension, 5719 patients with hyperlipidemia, and 3015 with both, were enrolled in the digital care program, which implemented an “end-to-end” management system consisting of guidance from non-licensed navigators and supervision from a care team consisting of pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and physicians.

In the results presented at AHA 2021, 92% of patients who completed the program had reached their blood pressure goals and 94% of patients who completed the lipids program achieved their LDL-C goals.Among those who completed the blood pressure program, the mean blood pressure was 124/74 mmHg and the mean LDL-C reduction was 55 mg/dL.

For more insight into the study, the applicability of results to smaller institutions, and other key points from the results, Practical Cardiology reached out to Blood and that conversation is the subject of the following AHA 2021 House Call.

This study, “A Remotely Delivered Hypertension And Lipid Program In 10,000 Patients Across A Diverse Health Care Network,” was presented at AHA 2021.