Vnitr Lek 2005, 51(10):1087-1094

High prevalence and poor control of hypertension in offices of general practitioners

J. Widimský^1,*, M. Sachová², V. Lánská³, M. Souček⁴, Z. Kalita⁵

¹ Klinika kardiologie IKEM, Praha, přednosta doc. MUDr. Jan Kautzner, CSc., FESC

² Servier s.r.o., Praha

³ Úsek náměstka pro odbornou činnost IKEM, Praha, vedoucí MUDr. Pavel Totušek

⁴ II. interní klinika Lékařské fakulty MU a FN u sv. Anny, Brno, přednosta doc. MUDr. Miroslav Souček, CSc.

⁵ Neurologické oddělení Baťovy krajské nemocnice, Zlín, přednosta doc. MUDr. Zbyněk Kalita, CSc.

The work analysed the incidence of hypertension and control of hypertension in offices of 150 general practitioners. A survey was carried out using questionnaires. Each of 150 general practitioners enrolled 15 consecutively examined patients into the study. Only patients at the age of 45 years and above without age limit in the elderly age groups were enrolled. The entire population thus consisted of 2 211 individuals, of which 1 012 (45.8 %) were men and 1 195 (54.0 %) women. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥ 140 and/or ≥ 90 mm Hg or as the presence of antihypertensive treatment. The study demonstrated high prevalence of hypertension in offices of general practitioners. As much as 78.4 % of the total population had visited a general practitioner for hypertension. However, the control of hypertension was not sufficiently effective. Only 18.4 % of hypertonic patients were effectively controlled, with values of BP < 140 and < 90 mm Hg. The control of hypertension in patients with ischaemic heart disease was not much better, with only 21.3 % of patients treated effectively. The control of hypertension in patients with a history of cerebral vascular event or TIA was analogous. 21.3 % of patients were treated effectively. Isolated systolic hypertension occurred in one third of hypertonic patients. The entire 83.1 % of patients with isolated systolic hypertension had systolic pressure within the range of mild isolated systolic hypertension (140-159 mm Hg). 33.2 % of hypertonic patients were treated with monotherapy, 32.2 % of patients with dual combination and only 19.1 % were treated with 3 or more antihypertensives. A total 15.5 % of hypertonic patients had never been pharmacologically treated despite higher blood pressure values. In conclusion, our data demonstrate high prevalence and poor control of hypertension in the offices of general practitioners.

Keywords: prevalence hypertension in offices of general practitioners; control of hypertension in offices of general practitioners

Received: January 11, 2005; Accepted: February 18, 2005; Published: October 1, 2005  Show citation