title: [Long-term survival of patients with hypertension treated in general practice or at a specialized hypertension clinic. A 21-year observation study of 831 patients with hypertension].
abstract: This article is based on a study first published in Blood Pressure. After an initial diagnostic and therapeutic assessment at a specialized hypertension clinic, 831 patients with primary hypertension were during a 15-year period allocated to continuing managing care either by their general practitioner or by the hypertension clinic. Survival was assessed in the two groups: general practice (n = 437, 223 males, 214 females) and specialized hypertension clinic (n = 394, 208 males, 186 females). Median observation times for both groups were 11 years. There were no significant differences between the groups concerning age at entry, pretreatment clinical status, pretreatment blood pressure or treated blood pressure level before allocation. Judged by a Cox' regression model, no difference in survival between the two groups could be registered. The leading cause of death in both groups was ischemic heart disease. Our results indicate that after the initial diagnostic assessment and adjustment of treatment, managing care in a specialized hypertension clinic offers no advantage concerning survival compared to managing care in general practice.
authors.affiliation: Medicinsk afdeling C, Odense Universitetshospital.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strate
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaeth
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Harvald
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate