The role of patient education in hypertension management as part of outpatient follow-up

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a major medical and social issue that requires effective preventive measures. Physician-led health education plays a critical role in enhancing patient adherence to nonpharmacological methods of prevention and treatment. However, the effectiveness and comprehensiveness of the recommendations provided remain insufficiently studied. AIM: To evaluate patient education provided by physicians to working-age individuals under outpatient follow-up for hypertension. METHODS: A survey of 350 patients aged 30–50 years under outpatient follow-up for hypertension was conducted, along with an analysis of their medical records using statistical methods. RESULTS: It was found that in 84% of cases, physicians documented preventive recommendations (such as reducing salt intake and keeping a self-monitoring diary) in the medical records. These recommendations often failed to take individual patient characteristics into account. A significant association was found between the comprehensiveness of the recommendations and patient adherence: patients who received more detailed and personalized advice showed higher levels of adherence. CONCLUSION: Physician-led patient education for individuals with hypertension should be enhanced by tailoring recommendations to individual needs, incorporating telemedicine consultations, referring patients to outpatient health schools, developing educational resources, and implementing digital monitoring tools. The findings of this study may contribute to enhancing preventive care programs within the framework of outpatient follow-up for patients with hypertension.