Monitoring
It
is recommended to assess BP
control to check adherence to therapy, to review the need for lifestyle and
treatment regimen changes, and to identify HMOD and necessary risk factor
modifications. During the first 3 months after initiation of treatment, it is
recommended that clinic visits should be done monthly or more frequently,
depending on the patient’s hypertension stage, CV risk, prior unsuccessful attempts at BP control, and other factors that would
suggest treatment difficulties.
When
the BP is controlled and
stable, the patient may follow up annually. More frequent visits may be considered in
patients at high CV risk or those with
difficult BP control (eg every 3 months for
high-risk patients and every 6 months for low-risk patients). Follow-up should
be done more frequently in patients with pre-existing HMOD while in those without
pre-existing HMOD, follow-up can be done at longer intervals (eg every 3
years).
Follow-up
visits should consist of updates in the patient’s medical history, including
treatment side effects, physical examination, and standard BP measurements. The frequency of lab tests
should depend on the patient’s clinical condition and risk level (eg annual
blood test and ECG in low-risk patients).