DUROJAIYE ROYALSEED

Hypertension is a leading cause of morbidity in Nigeria, and community pharmacists are positioned to bridge the documented "profoundly poor" self-care gap in Lokoja. This study evaluated the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) of Lokoja's community pharmacists regarding evidence-based hypertension management. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated KAP questionnaire, achieving an 88% participation rate (n=44) from the total population (N=50) of community pharmacists in Lokoja. Pharmacists demonstrated a highly positive attitude towards their role (WM=4.70) but perceived their pharmacies as unprepared for these services (WM=3.39). A critical knowledge deficit was identified: 75.8% were familiar with the outdated 2003 JNC 7 guideline, while only 27.3% knew the current 2017 ACC/AHA guideline. This correlated with poor knowledge of current Stage 1 (59.1%) and Stage 2 (54.5%) hypertension definitions. Practice was clearly divided, with high engagement in passive counseling (e.g., "Medication Counseling," 86.4% "Always") but low engagement in systematic, long-term care (e.g., "Documentation," WM=3.48; "Patient follow-up," WM=4.02). A significant knowledge-practice gap exists among Lokoja's pharmacists, driven not by poor attitude but by outdated guideline knowledge and environmental barriers. Mandated CPD on current guidelines and implementation of structured in-pharmacy systems are recommended..