Objective: Pharmacists are ideally positioned to promote optimal use and assess the adherence of prescription medications in patients with chronic diseases. This systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) ascertains the effectiveness of pharmacist interventions to improve blood pressure (BP) control and medication adherence in patients with hypertension. Data Sources: Electronic databases were searched for studies in English published between January 1, 1995, and January 31, 2018. Eligibility criteria included patients with a diagnosis of hypertension tested with RCT where pharmacist-led interventions occurred. The primary outcome was BP control and the secondary outcome was adherence to hypertensive medication. Quality of studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Data Synthesis: Thirty-five studies met the inclusion–exclusion criteria and were included in this study. Major themes included pharmacist-led interventions with medication counseling, patient education, distribution of interventions materials, individualized care plans, and check-in meetings. The vast majority of trials (n = 29) showed statistically significant improvement in BP in the intervention groups at follow-up. Of the 35 studies, most (n = 20) assessed medication adherence; several trials (n = 9) showed statistically significant improvement in medication adherence in patients receiving additional pharmaceutical care services. None of the RCTs was considered to have a high risk of bias. Conclusion: Pharmacist-led interventions improved BP control and medication adherence through education, counseling, or a combination of both. Future research is needed to determine the most effective pharmacists’ interventions in managing hypertension and to assess the cost-effectiveness of these interventions.

Objective: Cell phone text messaging reminders offers the promise of an efficient technology for the management of chronic diseases, such as asthma. This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of text message reminders in improving medication adherence for asthma compared to usual care. Methods: Randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of text message reminders on adherence to asthma medication were identified from PubMed, Medline, Web of Knowledge EBSCOhost, OvidSP, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Cochran Health Technology Assessment databases. Literature searches were restricted to the English language, and no restrictions were imposed on the year and country of publication. Results:  Five studies that were deemed relevant to the systematic review were identified from the literature search. Findings on whether text message reminders improve medication adherence were mixed. However, the review indicates that text-messaging interventions were effective as a means of addressing forgetfulness by reminding patients to take their medications. Conclusion: This review adds to the body of literature reviewing the effectiveness of emerging technologies in the management of diseases. Despite the fact there is limited evidence across the population of studies to support the effectiveness of text message reminders, such technology represents an important tool to achieve optimal medication adherence among asthmatics.   Article Type: Student Project