Nurse Practitioners Encouraged To Take A Leading Role In Treating Hypertensive Patients

Main Category: Hypertension
Also Included In: Medical Devices / Diagnostics;  Regulatory Affairs / Drug Approvals;  Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 24 Apr 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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InterCure Ltd., a medical device company publicly traded on the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE: INCR), has announced that RESPeRATE - the only medical device cleared by the FDA and CE-approved for the adjunctive treatment of hypertension - is highlighted as an effective treatment for high blood pressure in the April issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

The article, written by Elayne DeSimone, ANP, PhD, encourages the entire clinical community, in particular nurse practitioners and physician assistants, to provide individual attention and discuss non-traditional methods when treating patients who suffer from hypertension.

"A patient needs to fully understand his or her individual degree of risk, as well as the consequences of remaining untreated, to feel motivated to take an active part in their healthcare and be compliant with treatment," says DeSimone. "Seven out of 10 patients are not able to achieve their lower blood pressure goals with medication alone, and it is critically important to inform patients of both drug and non-drug treatment options to effectively treat both hypertension and its potential co-morbidities."

In the article, DeSimone highlights the impact of the nurse practitioner as an important source of information and empowerment for the patient. Early detection, monitoring and treatment of hypertension can dramatically reduce the number of hypertensive Americans and have a substantial impact on its associated consequences, both clinically and economically. Promotion of patient awareness and communication, coupled with a blend of drug and non-drug therapies can maximize the effect of a blood pressure treatment regimen.

Diet, exercise and adjunctive treatments are discussed as a way to help patients develop a new routine that fits into their lifestyles and improve treatment compliance. RESPeRATE is highlighted by DeSimone as a treatment that has been proven in multiple clinical studies to produce a significant and lasting decrease in blood pressure, averaging a reduction of 14 points systolic and 8 points diastolic.

"This most recent acknowledgement of RESPeRATE as an effective treatment option for hypertension adds to a growing body of support within the clinical community," says Erez Gavish, president and CEO, InterCure. "Nurse practitioners are vital in providing the best care possible to patients and we hope that these essential caretakers will choose to educate patients about the importance of non-drug therapies such as RESPeRATE."

Source:
Lisa Mokaba
Schwartz Communications