Introduction
disability, death, hypertension, Hypertension
HYPERTENSION, HYPERTENSION
Hypertension is the most common cause of avoidable death and disability globally [Currently, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines recommend screening all adults aged 18 years or older for hypertension (an “A” recommendation, strong evidence of benefit) [These guidelines contrast with current practice for many primary care physicians (PCPs) who rely almost exclusively on clinic-based BP measurement using manual or automated sphygmomanometers and no averaging of readings [The literature on health care professionals’ knowledge and attitudes regarding BP measurement, especially when used for diagnosis or taken outside of a clinic, is limited. Even fewer studies focus on knowledge and beliefs of health care professionals in the U.S., which has systemic constraints on out-of-clinic BP measurement [This qualitative study interviewed physicians whose patients participated in the BP-CHECK study about their beliefs and practices related to using different BP measurement methods and their experience with using HBPM and ABPM for diagnosing hypertension. Our aim was to shed light on barriers and potential facilitators for improving hypertension diagnosis.