ROCHESTER, N.Y. — PharmaSmart was cited in a first-of-its-kind clinical guide on the use and validity of public blood pressure kiosks by the American Society of Hypertension (ASH).

The health care technology company said this week that the ASH guideline, titled “Public Use Blood Pressure Kiosks: A Guide for Clinicians,” recognized PharmaSmart as uniquely qualified among kiosks for use in the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension.

PharmaSmart’s blood pressure kiosk was the only device named in the guide and was credited for its “unique cuff technology that is not limited by arm circumference” and for its peer-reviewed, published clinical accuracy, the company noted.

“In the United States alone, more than 1 million blood pressure readings are taken with public blood pressure kiosks every day. The goal of this new guide is to provide clinicians the information they need to confidently advise patients on the benefits and limitations of public blood pressure kiosks,” ASH president Domenic A. Sica, a co-author of the guide, said in a statement.

According to ASH, the guideline is intended to support “physicians, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists” in the proper use of blood pressure kiosks in clinical care. The authors stated that clinically validated blood pressure kiosks “can be of use in the diagnosis and treatment of patients, especially for the diagnosis of hypertension,” yet they warned of the “shortcomings of many kiosks and the frequently inaccurate BP values obtained.”

Such shortcomings, the ASH guide said, include cuff size limitations resulting in inaccurate readings on people with large or small arms and the lack of a Food and Drug Administration requirement for standardized or peer-reviewed validity testing of blood pressure devices for market clearance.

“This new guideline reinforces the fact that blood pressure kiosks are not created equal,” stated Mark Niebylski, chief executive officer of the World Hypertension League. “It is essential that patients, physicians and pharmacists select the right device. PharmaSmart offers physicians a credible, accessible, low-cost solution they can recommend to their patients, and it offers pharmacists a unique opportunity to coordinate care with their local physicians in support of improved hypertension screening, diagnosis, and therapy management.”

PharmaSmart’s kiosks currently serve more than 6,500 locations, including chain drug store and supermarket pharmacies, worksites, hospitals, medical clinics, pharmacy schools and military bases. Its PS DataSmart Health IT database holds more than 40 million targeted patient blood pressure readings.

“Self-measurement of blood pressure outside of the office on a validated device provides valuable diagnostic information to the care team and has been shown to improve the management and control of blood pressure. Research has also demonstrated that integration of the pharmacist into the care model improves blood pressure control,” commented blood pressure measurement expert Bruce Alpert, a co-author of the ASH guide. “This new guideline recognizes the enormous potential of validated, public-use blood pressure kiosks for improved hypertension diagnosis, treatment and overall blood pressure control.”