ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A peer-reviewed clinical study recently published in the Journal of the American Society of Hypertension found that routine blood pressure testing on PharmaSmart kiosks "closely approximates" daytime ambulatory blood pressure measurement.

PharmaSmart said Friday that the findings "support the use" of its technology in the assessment of hypertension. The company noted that ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is considered the clinical "gold standard" for the diagnosis and management of hypertension.

"Because PharmaSmart’s program is founded on clinical evidence, we can now offer local health plans a member-based, life-saving health management tool. PharmaSmart Health Screening kiosks deliver ‘source-valid’ data that support cardiovascular risk reduction," stated Yvonne Gallagher, executive vice president at drug chain Sav-Mor Rx.

"At Sav-Mor Rx/Sav-On, controlling hypertension and improving patient health outcomes is our No. 1 priority," she added. "This latest clinical research further strengthens our value proposition with payers, physicians and patients and sends a strong message to our pharmacists that they have the tools in place to practice to the full scope of their training while generating payer incentives."

Using self-measured blood pressure on PharmaSmart kiosks located in community pharmacy settings, the study also concluded that routine PharmaSmart measurement yields results similar to validated, averaged "automated office" blood pressure, which PharmaSmart said is widely considered the most robust "in-office" method of assessing blood pressure.

"It is very important that we develop new ways to track blood pressure outside the office that are valid, affordable and accessible to patients. We know that blood pressure kiosks are used at least 1 million times per day in the U.S., but most kiosk devices do not meet basic accuracy criteria," explained Bruce Alpert, M.D., professor of pediatrics in the division of cardiology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (retired) and editorial board member of the American Journal of Cardiology. "This new evidence places pharmacies using PharmaSmart kiosks on a strong clinical footing and will improve the ability of those pharmacies to collaborate with physicians in the management of their patients’ blood pressure."