Survey on treatment of hypertension and implementation of World Health Organization/International Society of Hypertension risk stratification in primary care in Belgium.
OBJECTIVE
To gain insight into the prevalence, treatment and control of hypertension and into the implementation of the 1999 World Health Organization/International Society of Hypertension guidelines for the management of hypertension in general practice in Belgium.


METHODS
A prospective cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
Primary care.


METHODS
Participating physicians enrolled the first 15 men, at least 55 years old, who visited the surgery, measured their blood pressure with a validated automatic device and recorded data on age, medical history, drug utilization, cardiovascular risk factors and target organ damage. Patients were considered to have hypertension when systolic blood pressure was >or= 140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure was >or= 90 mmHg or when they were under antihypertensive therapy.


RESULTS
Among 3761 evaluable patients, 74% were considered to be hypertensive, 80% of whom were treated with antihypertensive drugs. Blood pressure was under control in 38% of the treated patients and in 31% of all hypertensives. Among the 1316 hypertensive patients in whom risk stratification was possible, 47, 56 and 86% of the patients in, respectively, the medium, high and very high risk groups were treated with antihypertensive drugs. Among the treated patients, 46, 37 and 31%, respectively, had reached goal pressure. Within each risk category, patients were treated more frequently when baseline blood pressure was higher. Logistic regression analysis revealed that hypertension grade and level of risk contributed independently to the odds of being treated.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that a large number of older hypertensive men are treated with antihypertensive drugs in primary care, but that the goal blood pressure is not reached in a substantial number of patients due to undertreatment. Furthermore, whereas patients at higher risk are treated more frequently than patients at lower risk, blood pressure itself remains an important factor for the initiation of antihypertensive drug therapy within each risk category.
Hypertension and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Unit, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. robert.fagard@uz.kuleuven.ac.be
Robert H
RH
Fagard
Maria
M
Van Den Enden
Marc
M
Leeman
Xavier
X
Warling
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003971:Diastole / Q000187:drug effects; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards*; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012955:Societies, Medical; D013599:Systole / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014944:World Health Organization
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents