Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) has been named a Million Hearts® Hypertension Control Champion by the Centers of Disease Control (CDC) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for achieving more than 80 percent control rates in adult hypertensive patients.
To earn this recognition, CIS submitted blood pressure data for patients with hypertensive diagnoses to demonstrate controlled blood pressure over a period of two years. From this data, patients with controlled blood pressure were selected at random for a medical review by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and the CDC. CIS achieved blood pressure readings below 140 mmHg/90 mmHg among 80 percent of its hypertensive patients ages 18–85 years.
“Hypertension is a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease. Achieving an optimal blood pressure can be very challenging; however, with a tailored approach individualized to the patient, it is possible to achieve these goals,” explained Pradeep Nair, MD, interventional cardiologist at CIS in Houma. “We simply must remember that each patient’s path towards achieving optimal blood pressure may be slightly different than the next. Clinicians, patients, and families working together can make all the difference in lowering cardiovascular risk.”
CIS believes its success with controlled blood pressure can be attributed to many areas of quality control, such as staff training on taking blood pressure readings properly and accurately. CIS asks patients to return to the clinic within 30 days for a checkup if the last blood pressure reading was elevated or medications were adjusted. Patients are also encouraged to record their blood pressure readings at home so that their physician can better treat the condition. The CIS Cardio@Home program helps to monitor care from home as well.
“Blood pressure control is essential to the overall health of our patients, so CIS makes this a priority,” said David Konur, CEO. “CIS is proud to be one of the few organizations named with this recognition, and it is in line with our mission to provide the highest quality cardiovascular care available.”