Background: The healthcare system began transitioning from a traditional clinic-based consult to telemedicine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This change makes telemedicine a promising tool for managing diseases from the comfort of one’s home. Objective: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of telemedicine in blood pressure (BP) control and the most effective mode of telemedicine in BP control among hypertensive patients. Methods: This meta-analysis was developed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Search for articles was done using electronic databases (PubMed, MESH, and Clinical key). Identified articles were reviewed independently by two researchers and were statistically analyzed. Results: Eight studies were included in the final analysis. A statistically significant difference between intervention and control groups was observed for both SBP and DBP (estimated SMD of SBP at 0.19 mmHg (p-value 0.003, chi2 =30.52, df =11, CI = -0.31 to -0.06) with substantial heterogeneity at 71%; DBP at −0.15 mm Hg (p<.004; x2=14.19, df =9 95% CI −0.25 to − 0.02) with low heterogeneity at 37%). Conclusion Telemedicine is an effective means of reducing blood pressure among adult hypertensives. It enables access to individualized continuing care in hard-to-reach areas where patients with comorbidities are the high-risk groups. Future research can be done using the same output measurement and statistical analysis to determine the most effective mode of telemedicine in controlling blood pressure.
Telemedicine ; Hypertension ; Blood Pressure