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Filling gaps in blood pressure care

28 May 2008

Pharmacy Practice Lecturer Kevin McNamara will use his research fellowship to develop and deliver a professional development program for community pharmacists.

Improving blood pressure control in people with cardiovascular disease using primary care collaboration is the goal of Monash lecturer Kevin Mc Namara, who has received a National Institute of Clinical Studies Fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

A lecturer in Pharmacy Practice at the Victorian College of Pharmacy, Mr McNamara will use the fellowship to develop and deliver a professional development program to community pharmacists. The program will help pharmacists identify and educate people with high blood pressure enabling them to better manage their condition.

"Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in Australia," Mr McNamara said.

"High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major risk factor and there is strong evidence that controlling it can reduce risk significantly, but many people with hypertension are either unaware of their condition or not receiving optimal treatments.

"Community pharmacists have an important role to play and are ideally placed to provide targeted screening and medication assessments as well as dietary and other lifestyle modification advice."

NHMRC Chief Executive Officer Professor Warwick Anderson congratulated Mr McNamara.

"We look forward to working with him in this important area of cardiovascular health," Professor Anderson said.

The NICS Fellowship is co-sponsored by the National Prescribing Service (NPS).