title: [Control of arterial hypertension: effectiveness of an intervention performed by family practitioners].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of a program to improve hypertension control practices in primary care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective quasi-experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hospital-based family medicine centres (FMCs)
  
  
  METHODS
  Two study groups of 100 randomly-selected adult patients each, who visited the study FMC before implementation of the hypertension program (from April 1, 1983 to March 31, 1984) or afterward (from April 1, 1986 to March 31, 1987). These patients were compared to patients from control FMCs A and B seen during the same time frames (100 patients before and after at FMC A and 60 at FMC B).
  
  
  METHODS
  1) Educational sessions for physicians to standardize knowledge of the recommendations of the Canadian Hypertension Society on hypertension treatment and 2) specific operational incentives to improve hypertension control, including a reference guide placed in each physician's office, a specific hypertension follow-up form placed with each patient's chart, a recall card file, and hypertension information handouts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood pressure measurements recorded in patient charts. Hypertension control is determined from the Canadian Hypertension Society recommendations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The hypertension control rate was 52% in the study group before program implementation and 34.3% afterward (p = 0.01); the corresponding rates in the two control groups moved from 47.4% to 59.8% (p > 0.05) in Group A and from 40.7% to 39.3% (p > 0.05) in Group B. Patients listed in the recall card file were not controlled more frequently (33.3%) than those not listed (35.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This intervention did not improve physician practice regarding hypertension control. Clinicians did not follow the protocol as recommended. Physicians must be convinced that a change in their practice is needed before any specific strategies are introduced to support the change. Different suggestions and alternatives related to hypertension management are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Unité de médecine familiale, Hôpital Laval.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aubin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vézina
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maziade
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Robitaille
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
vernacular_title: Le contrôle de l'hypertension artérielle: effet d'une intervention réalisée auprès des médecins de famille.