[Care of hypertensive patients seen by cardiologists: results of the Snapshot Hypertension Registry].
BACKGROUND
The objective of the Snapshot Hypertension Registry (SHR) was to assess the quality of antihypertensive drug treatment in hypertensive patients seen by cardiologists on three consecutive days in December 2005.


METHODS
Full data sets were obtained for 7302 patients (89.9% of total returned) seen by 268 cardiologists. Mean age of hypertensive patients was 65.4 +/- 11.2 years, 62 % were male, and 93 % were referred to the cardiologist by a general practitioner.


RESULTS
Judging from their casual ("snapshot") blood pressure, 35.3 % were well treated (< 140/90 mm Hg). According to the 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure even a lower rate of hypertensive patients, namely 27.6 %, had their blood pressure well controlled (< 130/80 mm Hg). Of all patients, 24 % were on monotherapy. Only 33.7 % of the patients on monotherapy were normotensive. Of all patients on a combination of drugs 36.9 % were normotensive according to the casual blood pressure measurements. Private patients were prescribed angiotensin receptor blockers more frequently than patients who only had statutory health insurance.


CONCLUSIONS
The Snapshot Registry analysis revealed that the casual blood pressure in the majority of hypertensive patients who were reviewing antihypertensive medication was not in the normotensive range. In addition, our data demonstrate that evidence-based antihypertensive medication was often not adequately used in Germany.
Silber
S
S
Kardiologische Gemeinschaftspraxis, München.
Richartz
B M
BM
Goss
F
F
Haerer
W
W
Glowatzki
M
M
Schmieder
R E
RE
D000368:Aged; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D015924:Blood Pressure Monitors; D002309:Cardiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015897:Comorbidity; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012042:Registries; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents