A Cluster Randomized Trial to Evaluate Physician/Pharmacist Collaboration to Improve Blood Pressure Control

NIH Public Access Author Manuscript J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). Author manuscript; available in PMC 2009 April 1.

NIH-PA Author Manuscript

Published in final edited form as: J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2008 April ; 10(4): 260–271.

A Cluster-Randomized Trial to Evaluate Physician/Pharmacist Collaboration to Improve Blood Pressure Control Barry L. Carter, PharmD1,2, George R. Bergus, MD2, Jeffrey D. Dawson, ScD3, Karen B. Farris, PhD1, William R. Doucette, PhD1, Elizabeth A. Chrischilles, PhD4, and Arthur J. Hartz, MD, PhD.2 1Division of Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 2Department of Family Medicine, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 3Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 4Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

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Abstract The purpose of the present study was to evaluate a physician/pharmacist collaborative model to improve BP control. The study was a prospective, cluster-randomized controlled clinical trial that enrolled 179 patients with uncontrolled primary hypertension aged 21−85 years (mean 61 years). At 9 months, the mean adjusted difference in SBP was 8.7 (95% CI: 4.4, 12.9) mm Hg, while the difference in DBP was 5.4 (CI: 2.8, 8.0) mm Hg. The 24-hour BP levels showed similar effects with mean SBP 8.8 (CI: 5.0, 12.6) mm Hg and DBP 4.6 (CI: 2.4, 6.8) mm Hg lower in the intervention group. BP was controlled in 89.1% of patients in the intervention group and 52.9% in the control group (adjusted odds ratio 8.9; CI: 3.8, 20.7; p