title: Awareness of hypertension guidelines in general practice: a pilot study in Lombardy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An adequate knowledge of hypertension guidelines by primary care physicians is a fundamental step for the improvement of the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in the general population. The aim of this study was to evaluate, in a local survey in the northern area of Lombardy, the general practitioners' knowledge of the WHO/ISH guidelines.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 10-item mail questionnaire based on the 1999 WHO/ISH hypertension guidelines was sent to a sample of 280 primary care physicians. The number of answers in agreement with the guidelines was used as a measure of guidelines knowledge, that was considered adequate if a correct answer to 6 out of 10 questions, in addition to an adequate definition of hypertension, was provided.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis was based on 83 returned questionnaires, that means a 29% response rate. Guidelines knowledge was adequate in 23.5% of the total study population and the mean score of correct answers was 5.5 points. A significant negative correlation (r = 0.27, p < 0.05) was observed between the mean score of knowledge and the physician's age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a sample of primary care physicians from a northern region of Italy, the hypertension guidelines knowledge is inadequate; the reasons and the extent of this poor awareness will require further studies.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Internal Medicine, Centro di Fisiologia Clinica e Ipertensione, University of Milan, Ospedale Maggiore IRCCS, Milan, Italy. dhipertensione@libero.it
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cuspidi
authors.forename: Iassen
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Michev
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Severgnini
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fusi
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Valerio
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meani
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaccarella
authors.forename: Gaetana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palumbo
authors.forename: Maria Lorenza
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Muiesan
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Magrini
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zanchetti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000592:standards*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D014944:World Health Organization