Jim's Story
One of my patients earlier this week indicated that he had gone nearly a month without taking his blood pressure medication. He has a history of hypertension and hyperlipidemia. He also previously suffered a stroke. When I asked about his blood pressure, he nonchalantly told me that his readings had been elevated for the entire month – around 195/115. This was very concerning.
“He nonchalantly told me that his [blood pressure] readings had been elevated for the entire month.”
Hypertension, hyperlipidemia
Critically high systolic blood pressure lowered by restarting medication
After looking into his record, I noticed that his pharmacy had a prescription refill on file from earlier in the month. I immediately called the pharmacy to ensure it was still available for pick-up, and then called my patient back. He told me he would visit the pharmacy the following day, but I insisted that he go as soon as possible. I explained to him the importance of regularly taking these types of medications.
He was extremely appreciative of the reminder as he did not realize how crucial this medication was to his daily health. I sent a message to the patient’s PCP office. Later that week, they contacted him, confirming that he not only picked up his medication, but that his blood pressure was also going down. This patient encounter reminded me of how impactful these calls are for our patients.