Effectiveness of a pharmacist-led expert system for medication adherence and blood pressure control of adults with hypertension in the Philippines: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

In the Philippines, the Hypertension control rate is only 20% due to low medication adherence. The author proposes an intervention to supplement government program. The aim of the study is to assess the effect on medication adherence and blood pressure control of patients.

A randomized control trial was conducted at ten study sites in Region IV-A of the Philippines between May 2021 and January 2022. Outcomes are measured at enrollment as well as at three different time intervals. A total of 417 patients were eligible for the study with 203 in the control group and 214 in the intervention group. The intervention group were 430.40% (OR = 5.30, p = 0.0001) more likely to be adherent. Medication adherence (OR = 2.53, p = 0.000), BMI (OR = 0.939, p = 0.016), and perceived knowledge (OR = 1.2023, p = 0.000) have been found to significantly predict blood pressure control.

The research concludes that a pharmacist-led expert system intervention significantly improved patients' medication adherence and perceived knowledge and persisted for six months but only indirectly on blood pressure. The author proposes policy recommendation to use the Pharmacist-Led Expert System in conjunction with PhilPEN as a complementary patient education program.