title: Quality of care in managing hypertension by case finding in north west London.
abstract: The records of patients who were registered with general practice in inner London and outer London (both training and non-training practices) were examined for details of blood pressure recordings. A blood pressure recording was found in the past five years in only 22% of the notes of inner London practices but in 43% of notes in outer London practices, there being no difference between training and non-training practices. In 31% of the notes with a blood pressure recording the blood pressure had been raised (greater than or equal to 160/90) at some time: in 62% of these notes for patients aged 65 or more and in 52% of these notes for patients aged under 65 treatment had been given at some time. Thirty eight per cent of patients in the older group and 33% in the younger group were being treated at the time of the survey, thiazides being the most commonly used drugs. Thirty four per cent of all those with a raised blood pressure at some time had a latest recording of under 90 mm Hg diastolic. There seems to be a continuing need for general practitioners to detect and treat hypertension, and it is suggested that general practitioners should consider using systematic case finding for hypertension in their practices.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D011787:Quality of Health Care