New study claims: blood pressure changes can be easily controlled

A new study on quality of care and outcomes research in cardiovascular disease and stroke showed that blood pressure changes can be easily and significantly controlled.

Photo: New study claims: blood pressure changes can be easily controlled

The study was conducted by Dr. Christianne L. Roumie, a staff physician for the Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare System and an assistant professor of internal medicine and pediatrics at Vanderbilt University.

The author claimed that a veterans' facility had made some improving steps in handling high blood pressure changes among patients.

The findings are the following:

- about 64.3 percent of veterans (the latest figure was 61.8 percent) reached the blood pressure goal below 140/90;

- about 1,400 among 54,000 people improved blood pressure control;

- the increase in blood pressure control was achieved within 18 weeks

To follow the example nationwide (73 million Americans have high blood pressure), the health system will get significant results in preventing heart diseases and strokes. Meanwhile the situation for now looks like this: health institutions have only 30-50% of high blood pressure cases under control.

To achieve the goal the veterans' facility:

- created a committee to scrutinize and assist when necessary;

- improved the care system;

- launched treatment guidelines for staffers with a feedback system;

- and established patient education, so that the patients could track their own blood pressure and know what their goals were.