Abstract

Background: High blood pressure (BP) (hypertension) is one of the leading causes of death and cardiovascular disease worldwide. In 2001, hypertension, considered both pathology in its own right and a risk factor for other diseases, was responsible for more than 7.6 million deaths. A 2014 study in Dakar showed that the prevalence of hypertension was 27.50%.

Aim and Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the involvement of the community pharmacist in the management of high BP with regard to screening, counseling, and treatment and to assess the difficulties encountered in these stains.

Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study of all community pharmacists who meet our eligibility criteria. The survey took place from April 15, 2019, to June 10, 2019, and involved 100 pharmacies in the Dakar region. The questionnaire was designed on the basis of the following headings: Presentation of the pharmacy; BP screening and measurement; tips for primary and secondary prevention of high BP; tertiary prevention; and difficulties encountered by pharmacists.

Results: The results showed that 46% of pharmacists gave a false definition of ATH. No pharmacist had the three types of armbands (adults, children, and obese). The rest time before measuring the BP, namely, 5–10 min, was respected by 94.12% of the pharmacists respected. The patient’s position at the measurement and the grip on both arms were not respected by most of the respondents who disagreed with the recommendations. Hygienic-dietary measures were not recommended enough. However, the sodium diet and smoking cessation have been recommended by all pharmacists. Concerning the drugs to avoid in hypertensive patients, only 35.29% of pharmacists advised against non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and 47% for sympathomimetics. Most pharmacists referred patients to the doctor when the BP was abnormally high, whether he was on or without treatment with a compliance check for patients on treatment.

Conclusion: At the end of this study, the results obtained certainly show a certain mastery of the management of average handle time but are not very satisfactory. Indeed, many gaps and shortcomings in terms of knowledge and practice have been highlighted.

Key words: Hypertension; Management; Pharmacists