Clinicians working at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the US treated patients with the aid of digital tools and an algorithm which calculated the titration of medication for pharmacists.
Over 5000 patients were enrolled into the study, entering either the cholesterol control program, the hypertension program, or both. Of those in the cholesterol program, 35% had established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD); 25% had diabetes without ASCVD; and 31% had a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) >190 mg/dL.
Study lead author Benjamin Scirica, MD, MPH, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and associate professor of medicine at the Harvard School of Medicine, said, “To better control cholesterol and blood pressure, both of which are major cardiovascular risk factors, we need new end-to-end treatment solutions that improve patient identification, data collection, education and care delivery, including standardizing medication regimens. We are redefining treatment pathways to address persistent gaps in health care, overcome clinical inertia and address the problems of limited access to physicians by expanding remotely-delivered care.”
Patients with high LDL-c and/or hypertension were identified using electronic patient records, and received a digital blood pressure cuff for at-home monitoring. With the aid of the algorithm, pharmacists and support staff initiated and titrated medication.
For patients who completed the titration phase of the program, a 52mg/dL (42%) decrease in LDL-c was observed, while for all patients, LDL-c levels dropped by 24mg/dL (18%) and 14mmHg systolic and 6mmHg diastolic blood pressure drops were recorded. Patients in high-risk categories saw significant drops in LDL-c.
The research showed that efficient, effective care was possible, while simultaneously reducing the need for physical consultations. Such enabling technology allows access to care delivery to be significantly expanded.
Source: Science Daily
