[Changes in life style and drug therapy for treatment of hypertension in France between 2002 and 2004].
OBJECTIVE
To estimate changes in life style and drug therapy for treatment of hypertension in France between 2002 and 2004.


METHODS
The French League Against Hypertension Survey 2004 (FLAHS-2004) was performed cross-sectionally on 3 707 subjects, part of a sample of 5476 subjects selected as being representative of the French metropolitan population for age (35 years and above), gender, socioeconomic status, and place of living. Subjects who declare to take an antihypertensive medication were classified as treated hypertensive patients. A questionnaire evaluating changes in life style during the last year (physical activities, quality of food consumption, smoking, and alcohol habits) was auto-administered.


RESULTS
In 2004, 24% of the French population above the age of 35 years was treated for hypertension, corresponding to an estimate of 7.5 million of subjects. The two most frequent prescribed drugs are: fixed-dose combination drugs and beta-blockers in patients aged less than 75 years, and calcium antagonist and fixed-dose combination drugs in patients aged more than 75 years. Hypertensive subjects experienced: a weight loss of more than 3 kg in 11% vs 9%* in the general population, an increased in fruits and vegetables consumption in 41% vs 34%*, a decreased in cheese (21 vs 17%*), pork-butchery (46 vs 34%*) and alcohol consumption (23 vs 18%*) [*p < 0.01]. On the other hand, the percentage of subjects who increased their physical activities was low and not different in the two groups (7 vs 9%).


CONCLUSIONS
Changes in life style were more often applied by the subjects treated for hypertension that by the general population. The dominating place that occupies today fixed-dose combination drugs indicates a change of the therapeutic practices.
Girerd
X
X
Comité français de lutte contre l'hypertension artérielle, service d'endocrinologie-métabolisme, hôpital de la Pitié, Paris. xavier.girerd@psl.aphp.fr
Herpin
D
D
Postel-Vinay
N
N
Vaïsse
B
B
Poncelet
P
P
Mallion
J M
JM
Murino
M
M
Mourad
J J
JJ
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015431:Weight Loss
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents