Quality of life of hypertensive patients treated at an outpatient clinic.
BACKGROUND
The main cause of mortality in braziliam population is the cardiovascular disease and arterial hypertension (AH) the most prevalent one. The antihypertensive treatment is effective however it is not well known how affects the quality of life (QOL) in patients afterwards.


OBJECTIVE
To comparatively assess the QOL in patients submitted to an antihypertensive treatment.


METHODS
One-hundred patients with AH were studied of which 46 had complied with a standard treatment regimen (group A) and 54 (group B control) were about to start the same regimen. We collected clinical and sociodemographic data and questions focusing sexuality, self-perception of QOL, number and types of medication taken and their influence on sex life. The questionnaire SF-36 was also administered. The data were analyzed using the tests chi-square, Students t, Pearson correlation and Tukey.


RESULTS
No differences were detected between group A and B in any of the SF-36 domains. There was an association between the question on self-perception of QOL and the SF-36 domains, emotional aspects excepted. As regards sexuality, there was difference in the quality of sex life between the groups, which was less satisfactory for group A.


CONCLUSIONS
When the SF-36 was administered no changes in QOL were detected between the groups because it is an asymptomatic chronic disease. The SF-36 did not properly assess emotional aspects in our case series of hypertensive patients that had high behavior variability. Group A showed lower quality sex life; however, this was not related to the number and type of medication used.
Cavalcante
Margaret Assad
MA
Departamento de Medicina, Universidade do Oeste Paulista (UNOESTE) e Setor de Cardiopatia Hipertensiva - Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Presidente Prudente - São Paulo, SP - Brazil. massad@cardiol.br
Bombig
Maria Teresa Nogueira
MT
Luna Filho
Braulio
B
Carvalho
Antonio Carlos de Camargo
AC
Paola
Angelo A V de
AA
Póvoa
Rui
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051839:NFI Transcription Factors; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D019529:Sexuality / Q000187:drug effects*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D051839:NFI Transcription Factors