Self-management for chronic conditions . . . and other stories
BMJ 2024; 385 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.q1178 (Published 06 June 2024) Cite this as: BMJ 2024;385:q1178
Home blood pressure monitoring
Since most patients with diabetes look after their own treatment successfully, it’s surprising that self-management plays such a small part in other chronic conditions. A randomised trial from Spain compared usual care for patients with hypertension with an intervention involving home blood pressure monitoring and self-titration of medication. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were lower at 24 months in the group allocated to self-management. A focus group found that doctors felt positively about home monitoring and patient decision making but, inexplicably, patients weren’t asked for their views (JAMA Netw Open doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.10063).
Zinc for colds
Although in vitro experiments show that zinc interferes with viral …
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