Effectiveness of an Educational Program to Teach Pharmacists to Counsel Hypertensive Patients and Influence Treatment Adherence

Conducted at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, this study tested the efficacy of a comprehensive patient counseling skills intervention in enhancing pharmacists' (n = 8) skills and their hypertensive patients' (n = 114) perceived support from the pharmacist, medication regimen knowledge, medication adherence, and blood pressure control. Improvement in pharmacist counseling skills, perceived pharmacist support, and medication regimen adherence (as indicated by unannounced home pill counts [p < .07]) was demonstrated. Results are discussed in light of patients' high baseline adherence, high educational level, and relatively extended treatment at the NIH Hypertension Clinic.