Comparing the effects of two methods of self-monitoring and telenursing on the blood pressure of patients with hypertension

Abstract

Hypertension is one of the most important and common cardiovascular diseases. Considering the long history of using different methods to cope with this disease, the success in controlling it has not been desirable. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of two methods of self-monitoring and telenursing on the blood pressure of patients with hypertension. This 3-group 4-stage clinical trial was conducted on 84 patients with hypertension who referred to Hypertension Research Center of Isfahan in 2015-16. Samples were first selected through simple sampling and then divided into three groups of self-monitoring, telenursing and control, each containing 28 patients, through continuous random allocation. Samples of the two intervention groups ( self-monitoring and telenursing) participated in two educational sessions about high blood pressure. Samples of the telenursing group received messages about high blood pressure. Samples of the self-monitoring group measured and recorded their own blood pressure under supervision of one family member. Samples of the control group also participated in two educational sessions related to high blood pressure. Questionnaires were completed before the intervention and one, two and three months afterward and data were analyzed using SPSS 18 and Chi square test, one-way variance analysis, covariance analysis, variance analysis with repeated measures and kruskal-Wallis test. The mean of systolic and diastolic blood pressure of participants had no significant difference between three groups before the intervention. The mean of systolic blood pressure at the first month after the intervention was ( p = 0.22), the second month was ( p = 0.001) and the third month was ( p = 0.001) which shows a significant difference between three groups at the second and third months after the intervention. The mean of diastolic blood pressure of the participants at the first month after the intervention was ( p = 0.001), at the second moth was ( p = 0.001) and at the third moth was ( p < 0.001) which shows a significant difference between three groups. Self-monitoring and telenursing interventions could be effective on management of hypertension. In this study, telenusring was more effective in decreasing systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to self-monitoring method. Considering the high prevalence of hypertension which has turned it into a main health problem, paying attention to its appropriate prevention, control and treatment should become a health priority and using simple and low cost methods would have a more effective role in controlling this disease.