One doctor's 25-year experience of beta-blocker treatment to the same group of hypertensive women.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the importance of long-term doctor-patient relationship, and to assess the effect of long-term treatment with beta-blockers of hypertensive women.


METHODS
A 25-year follow-up study of hypertensive women, compared with participants in a prospective population study of women of the same age.


METHODS
Gothenburg, Sweden.


METHODS
57 hypertensive women and 1462 participants in the population study.


RESULTS
The women's blood pressure was well-controlled over the years, and no serious side-effects occurred. There was no increased mortality in these groups of hypertensive women compared with women in the general population of the same age.


CONCLUSIONS
The favourable effects over the years with respect to the management of blood pressure and survival indicate the beneficial effect of a stable doctor-patient relationship and the beneficial long-term effect of beta-blockers as a base for antihypertensive treatment.
Bengtsson
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Department of Primary Health Care, Göteborg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000526:Alprenolol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001835:Body Weight; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008790:Metoprolol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D000526:Alprenolol; D008790:Metoprolol