The vigor of drug treatment in the control of hypertension: results from the Munich Blood Pressure Study.
The strength of antihypertensive drug treatment was investigated in a representative sample of the population of Munich. The Munich Blood Pressure Study, a cross-sectional study (MBS I) with follow-up one year later (MBS II) of a random sample of 3,198 citizens aged 30-69 years (response rate 69.3 percent) served as the data base. Using an empirical scale of the relative potency of antihypertensive drugs, the vigor of drug therapy was estimated. One unit of vigor was defined as the equivalent of the recommended average daily dose of the specific drug for long-term treatment. This index of therapeutic vigor was then applied to two groups, treated but uncontrolled hypertensives and controlled hypertensives. We found that 85 percent of the treated uncontrolled hypertensives and 90 percent of those with controlled hypertension were taking only small amounts of medication (less than two units of vigor). Particularly striking was the result that approximately 50 percent of each group received less than one unit of vigor. Based on these data it is concluded that physicians failed to prescribe adequate doses of antihypertensive agents for uncontrolled hypertensives. Furthermore, since a large number of patients had their blood pressure controlled by only very small doses of antihypertensive agents, it may be assumed that at least some of them did not require drug treatment or could have their blood pressure controlled by nonpharmacologic measures alone.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005860:Germany, West; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents