[Control of blood pressure in Spanish hypertensive population attended in primary health-care. PRESCAP 2006 Study].
OBJECTIVE
More information is needed on hypertension control and its evolution in clinical practice. This study aimed to determine the degree of blood pressure (BP) control in Spanish hypertensive patients attended in primary care (PC) and to determine the factors associated with poor BP control.


METHODS
Cross-sectional, multicenter study, carried out in PC settings throughout Spain. Hypertensive patients >or= 18 years, with antihypertensive treatment (>or= 3 months) were consecutively recruited. BP measurement was performed in surgery hours (morning and evening) following standardized methods and averaging 2 consecutive readings. BP control was regarded as optimum when BP values were < 140/90 mmHg in general population and <130/80 mmHg in patients with diabetes, chronic renal disease or cardiovascular disease.


RESULTS
10,520 hypertensive patients were included (53.7% women), mean age (SD) 64.6 (11.3) years. 41.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 40.5-42.4) presented good systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) control, 46.5% (95% CI, 45.5-47.4) only SBP control and 67.1% (95% CI, 66.2-68.0) only DBP control. 55.6% of patients were treated with combination therapy (41.2% 2 drugs, 11.7% 3 and 2.8% more than 3). BP control was significantly (p<0.001) higher in the evening measurement (48.9%) than in the morning measurement (40.5%), and if patients had taken the treatment before measurement (42.0%) compared with those who had not taken it (38.8%). Factors such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, sedentary lifestyle, alcohol consumption and surgery hour were associated with poor BP control (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the PRESCAP 2006 study indicate that 4 out of 10 hypertensive patients treated in PC in Spain have an optimal BP control. The degree of control of arterial hypertension has improved remarkably with respect to the PRESCAP 2002 study.
Llisterri Caro
José L
JL
Centro de Salud de Ingeniero Joaquín Benlloch, Valencia, España. jllisterric@medynet.com
Rodríguez Roca
Gustavo C
GC
Alonso Moreno
Francisco J
FJ
Banegas Banegas
José R
JR
González-Segura Alsina
Diego
D
Lou Arnal
Salvador
S
Divisón Garrote
Juan A
JA
Sánchez Ruiz
Tomás
T
Santos Rodríguez
José A
JA
Barrios Alonso
Vivencio
V
D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003710:Demography; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents