Prevalence and severity of hypertension in a dental hygiene clinic.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and severity of hypertension in a dental hygiene clinic and evaluate factors related to the disease.


METHODS
Records of 615 patients, treated by dental hygiene students during 2003, were reviewed. Data collected included systolic and diastolic blood pressure, presence of diabetes and renal disease, non-modifiers (race, gender, and age), and modifiers (marital status, smoking habits, and occupation).


RESULTS
According to the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC7) classification, 154 (25%) of the subjects had normal blood pressure readings, 374 (60.8%) had prehypertension, and 87 (14.1%) had stage 1 hypertension. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference in the JNC7 classification between groups when considering the non-modifiers' race (p=.02) and the modifiers' smoking habits (p=.03) and occupation (p=.01). A statistically significant difference in the JNC7 classification existed between groups with diabetes (p=.00). The majority of patients had blood pressure readings in the prehypertension stage.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on these results, the researchers recommend clinical policy modifications which include: additional documentation for blood pressure readings in the prehypertension stage, lowering the systolic reading from 160 mmHg to 140 mmHg when adding hypertension alert labels, and noting prehypertension/hypertension on the dental hygiene care plan with the appropriate interventions.
Thompson
Ana Luz
AL
Department of Dental Hygiene, Medical College of Georgia School of Allied Health Sciences, Augusta, GA, USA. athompson@mcg.edu
Collins
Marie A
MA
Downey
Mary Cannon
MC
Herman
Wayne W
WW
Konzelman
Joseph Louis
JL
Ward
Sue Tucker
ST
Hughes
Cynthia T
CT
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003740:Dental Clinics; D003756:Dental Hygienists / Q000193:education; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People