PCD News Summary for June 29, 2017

About the Journal: Published every Thursday, Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD) is a peer-reviewed online journal established by CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. The News Media Branch prepares press summary packets each week. To receive these press summaries on an embargoed basis, send an e-mail to media@cdc.gov. Please note that this e-mail list is for credentialed journalists only. All others, please visit Hookup to Health to sign up for e-mail updates.

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CDC’s News Media Branch releases to reporters the PCD media packet every Tuesday afternoon between 12 and 2 pm.

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A Project to Promote Adherence to Blood Pressure Medication Among People Who Use Community Pharmacies in Rural Montana, 2014–2016

Community pharmacists can play a key role in helping patients take their blood pressure medication as prescribed by their doctors, which may support them in managing their high blood pressure. From 2014 to 2016, the Cardiovascular Health Program at the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services conducted a statewide project to evaluate an intervention for adherence to blood pressure medication administered through community pharmacies. After the first year of the pilot, researchers redesigned the program for years two and three and measured the percentage of participating patients who adhered to blood pressure medication. Twenty-five community pharmacies completed Montana’s “Team Up. Pressure Down.” program: eight pharmacies in the pilot year, 11 pharmacies in year two, and six pharmacies in year three. For years two and three combined, the percentage of participating patients who achieved blood pressure medication adherence improved from 73 percent to 89 percent.

Melissa Newton
mnewton@cdc.gov
404-718-6281

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Note: Not all articles published in PCD represent work done at CDC. In your stories, please clarify whether a study was conducted by CDC (“a CDC study”) or by another institution (“a study published by CDC”). The opinions expressed by authors contributing to PCD do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CDC or the institutions with which the authors are affiliated. PCD requests that, when possible, you include a live link to the article in your stories. 

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