Lack of adequate attention to elevated blood pressure in an urban hypertensive population.
BACKGROUND
Efforts directed at improving blood pressure (BP) control and outcomes of hypertension require insight into how physicians diagnose and manage hypertension in various practice settings, especially in the non-continuity setting.


METHODS
Retrospective, cross-sectional study. Chart review of records of hypertensive patients, and patients with elevated BP, who visited the Urgent Care Center (UCC) of an urban teaching hospital. We examined patients' characteristics associated with the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension.


RESULTS
Complaint of hypertension, request for medication refill, history of hypertension and high stages of hypertension, were associated with attention to BP. Complaint of hypertension and request for medication refill were associated with prescription for antihypertensive medications. Eighty percent of stage I, 50% of stage II, and 30% of stage III levels of BP did not have their BP addressed. Attention to the blood pressure reading was significantly associated with referral for follow-up care.


CONCLUSIONS
Providers do not adequately acknowledge elevated BP in the UCC. Progress in the fight against hypertension will require a change in the practice of hypertension care in the non-continuity setting to recognize elevated blood pressures during patient encounters.
Quaye
E O
EO
Department of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30310, USA.
Alema-Mensah
E
E
Omeogu
C
C
Alvarez
D
D
Dwamena
F
F
Harris-Hooker
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014505:Urban Population