• Christina M Bancej, Norm Campbell, Donald W McKay, Marianne Nichol, Robin L Walker, and Janusz Kaczorowski.
• Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
• Can J Cardiol. 2010 May 1; 26 (5): e152-7.

BackgroundCanadians with hypertension are recommended to use home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) on a regular basis.ObjectivesTo characterize the use of HBPM among Canadian adults with hypertension.MethodsRespondents to the 2009 Survey on Living with Chronic Diseases in Canada who reported diagnosis of hypertension by a health professional (n=6142) were asked about blood pressure monitoring practices, sociodemographic characteristics, management of hypertension and blood pressure control.ResultsAmong Canadian adults with hypertension, 45.9% (95% CI 43.5% to 48.3%) monitor their own blood pressure at home, 29.7% (95% CI 41.1% to 46.3%) receive health professional instruction and 35.9% (95% CI 33.5% to 38.4%) share the results with their health professional. However, fewer than one in six Canadian adults diagnosed with hypertension monitor their own blood pressure at home regularly, with health professional instruction, and communicate results to a health professional. Regular HBPM was more likely among older adults (45 years of age and older); individuals who believed they had a plan for how to control their blood pressure; and those who had been shown how to perform HBPM by a health professional - with the latter factor most strongly associated with regular HBPM (prevalence rate ratio 2.8; 95% CI 2.4 to 3.4).ConclusionsAlthough many Canadians with hypertension measure their blood pressure between health care professional visits, a minority do so according to current recommendations. More effective knowledge translation strategies are required to support self-management of hypertension through home measurement of blood pressure.

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