Abstract P359: Management of Hypertension and Diabetes Comorbidity by Pharmacists in a Digital Setup

Objective: To identify the health outcomes of using a digital approach to manage patients of hypertension and diabetes comorbidity in China. Methods: We developed and promoted a digital solution that consisted of BP and blood glucose (BG) tele-monitors, an App, and a cloud engine with 5 proprietary algorithms for personalized care in 1,150 drug stores in 101 cities. During Jun 1 st 2015 and Apr 30 th 2018, a total of 4,775 patients of both uncontrolled BP and BG received monthly pharmacy services of: 1) BP and BG tele-monitoring, 2) App-assisted lifestyle coaching for meal plans and exercises, and 3) App-guided medication consultation. Results: The study population had an average age of 65.7 ± 10.4, BMI of 24.4 ± 3.3, and male of 47.5%. SBP and DBP were reduced on average by 9.3 mm Hg (baseline: 154.4 ± 14.7 mm Hg, last time: 145.1 ± 18.5 mm Hg, P< 0.001) and 5.0 mm Hg (baseline: 86.7 ± 11.2 mm Hg, last time: 81.7 ± 11.7 mm Hg, P<0.001). Their fasting blood glucose (FBG) and random blood glucose (RBG) were reduced by 0.8 mM (baseline: 9.1 ± 2.2 mM, last time: 8.3 ± 2.3 mM, P<0.001) and 3.1 mM (baseline: 14.5 ± 3.3 mM, last time: 11.4 ± 4.0 mM, P<0.001). The percentage of patients who had controlled BP or BG or both measurements were 36.0% (n=1,717, P<0.001), 28.8% (n=1,376, P<0.001) and 11.4% (n=542, P<0.001) by the time of this analysis. Patients in general felt comfortable about data sharing with pharmacists and were satisfied with this interventional approach that provided easy data access to them and their close relatives who in many cases played an important role in helping the patients achieve better compliance. The health outcomes were not associated with geographic differences except for RBG (r=0.1, P<0.001) or economic status of the site. Conclusion: Patients of hypertension and diabetes comorbidity can be effectively managed by pharmacists when digital tools were integrated into the interventional approach.