Impact of hospitalization on blood pressure control in Italy: results from the Italian Group of Pharmacoepidemiology in the Elderly (GIFA).
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether hospitalization affects blood pressure control in hypertensive patients, and to identify factors associated with attainment of adequate blood pressure control and with aggressive pharmacologic treatment.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
Eighty-one hospitals throughout Italy.


METHODS
A total of 3,304 patients (59% women, 41% men) with a diagnosis of hypertension and uncontrolled blood pressure values at hospital admission.


RESULTS
Patients' blood pressures were surveyed during study periods from 1988-1997. Controlled blood pressure was defined according to the sixth report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (systolic < 140 mm Hg, diastolic < 90 mm Hg). Aggressive pharmacologic treatment was defined as an increase in the number of antihypertensive drugs that the patient was receiving at hospital discharge compared with the number of drugs on admission. Adequate blood pressure control was achieved in only 767 (23.2%) patients, but the proportion increased in each subsequent survey Age (odds ratio [OR] for 10-year increase 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.76-0.88) and male sex (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.65-0.94) were associated with reduced likelihood of achieving adequate blood pressure control. In contrast, coronary heart disease (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.14-1.66), year of survey (1995 vs 1988: OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.19-1.82; 1997 vs 1988: OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.02-1.42), length of hospital stay (medium vs lower tertile OR 1.20, 95% CI 0.96-1.49; higher vs lower tertile OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.13-1.77), and increase in number of antihypertensive drugs prescribed (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.02-1.42 for one drug increase) were associated with improved blood pressure control. In 1753 (53.1%) patients, the number of antihypertensive drugs increased during their hospital stay. Younger age, fewer drugs on admission, lower comorbidity index, diagnosis of chronic heart failure, lengthy hospital stay, and increasing baseline values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were associated with aggressive pharmacologic treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Adequate blood pressure control was achieved in only 25% of patients with hypertension despite a trend toward improvement in recent years. Advanced age was one of the main factors associated with less aggressive pharmacologic treatment and with inadequate blood pressure control.
Onder
Graziano
G
Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Stricht Center on Aging, Wake Forest University-Baptist Medical Center, Winston Salem, North Carolina 27157, USA. gonder@wfubmc.edu
Gambassi
Giovanni
G
Sgadari
Antonio
A
Williamson
Jeff D
JD
Cesari
Matteo
M
Landi
Francesco
F
Bernabei
Roberto
R
Pahor
Marco
M
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents