[Impact of hypertension in cardiac diseases in Spain. The CARDIOTENS Study 1999].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the prevalence and control of hypertensive patients with associated cardiac diseases in Spain.


METHODS
All the 32,051 outpatients seen the same day by 1,159 primary physicians (79%) and cardiologists (21%) were prospectively included in a database including history of cardiac disease (heart failure, coronary disease or atrial fibrillation), casual blood pressure and ongoing treatments.


RESULTS
Hypertension was present in 33% of the whole group and 19% had both hypertension and a cardiac disease. Hypertension was present in 77% of the patients with heart failure, in 66% of those with coronary diseases and in 66% with atrial fibrillation. Less than 60% of the hypertensive patients with heart failure were treated with an angiotensin or a converting enzyme inhibitor. Thirty-two percent of the hypertensive patients with coronary disease received a betablocker and 25% of the hypertensive patients with atrial fibrillation were on oral anticoagulation. Less than 20% of the patients with hypertension and cardiac disease had blood pressure levels under 130/85 mmHg as recommended by international guidelines. Patients seen by primary care physicians were found to be slightly better treated than those under cardiologists' care.


CONCLUSIONS
High blood pressure is associated with heart failure, coronary disease and atrial fibrillation in a high percentage of patients. The blood pressure levels recommended by current guidelines for cardiac hypertensives were attained in less than 20% of the cases. The control of blood pressure in these high risk hypertensive patients was low and the use of appropriate pharmacological treatment was poor.
Juanatey
J R
JR
Sección de Hipertensión Arterial, Sociedad Española de Cardiología.
Ezquerra
E A
EA
Vidal
J V
JV
Caro
J L
JL
Acuña
J G
JG
Maqueda
I G
IG
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013030:Spain