title: Management of hypertension in general practice: agreements with and variations from the British Hypertension Society guidelines.
abstract: A random sample of 200 East Anglian general practitioners was surveyed to establish current trends in the management of hypertension, including measurement of blood pressure (BP), patient investigation, treatment and follow-up. A total of 125 (62.5%) completed questionnaires was returned. Responses were used to assess the range of self-reported management practice and the extent of conformity with the British Hypertension Society guidelines. Although there was a broad spectrum of reported practice, many respondents adhered closely to the guidelines in relation to BP measurement, use of non-pharmacological treatment, treatment goals, choice of drug and patient investigation. Not surprisingly, the greatest disparity between reported and recommended practice occurred in areas where guidelines have only recently become available: treatment of isolated systolic hypertension and of the elderly hypertensive. Here, the survey provides a useful baseline against which to monitor future changes in management.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Dickerson
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Garratt
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004739:England; D005194:Family Practice; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012955:Societies, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires