[Compliance and long-term prognosis in hypertensive patients. Case series in a specialized hospital outpatient service].
In this study of ambulatory patients who had their first visit at the hypertension Unit of the Ospedale San Carlo Borromeo in Milan during the years 1979-1983, we report some data regarding compliance and long-term prognosis of mild hypertension. In these 5 years, 445 mild hypertensives (mean DBP: 103.3 +/- 13.2 mmHg) came to our facilities at least once: of these, 57 (12.9%) have been in constant touch with the outpatient clinic until today; 310 (69.6%) have been lost to follow-up after less than 1 year; 78 (17.5%) had an irregular pattern of attendance with a mean length of follow-up of 3.49 +/- 1.8 years. These data indicate a less than ideal compliance especially for patients who were older, smokers, not married and with no previous pharmacological treatment at the first visit. Index of morbidity and mortality for all causes and for cardiovascular disease and blood pressure control were better, although without reaching statistical significance, in the 57 patients with the best compliance. Altogether our data point to a reevaluation of the approach to the problem of mild hypertension through specialised hospital facilities.
Ronchi
E
E
Divisione di Medicina 5. Piano, Ospedale S. Carlo Borromeo, Milano.
Posca
M
M
Sassi
S
S
Scarani
W
W
Bianchi
G B
GB
Palumbo
G
G
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors
Compliance e prognosi nel lungo periodo del paziente iperteso. Casistica di un ambulatorio specialistico ospedaliero.