Characteristics of hypertensive Canadians not receiving drug therapy.
BACKGROUND
Many Canadians known to have hypertension remain untreated. To aid in the development of specific programs to improve hypertension management, the present report characterizes Canadians who indicated that they had hypertension but were not taking antihypertensive drug therapy.


METHODS
The 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey (cycle 3.1) was used to estimate the proportion of Canadians 20 years of age and older who reported having high blood pressure or ever being diagnosed with high blood pressure. Sociodemographic characteristics, reported health, lifestyle factors and health care resource use of those who reported taking or not taking high blood pressure medication in the previous month were described and compared.


RESULTS
Over one-half of hypertensive respondents 20 to 39 years of age reported no antihypertensive treatment compared with 17% and 5% among those 40 to 59 years and 60 years of age and older, respectively. In most age groups, several factors were associated with the absence of pharmacotherapy (eg, male sex, fewer health care professional consultations, perceived excellent health status and most markers of lower cardiovascular risk, with the exception of daily smoking). The proportion of young hypertensive Canadians not receiving pharmacotherapy remained consistent, regardless of the presence of cardiovascular risk factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Many hypertensive Canadians, particularly those who are younger than 60 years of age, are not taking antihypertensive drug therapy despite having one or more cardiovascular risks. The increased risk of no drug therapy among smokers warrants special attention.
Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta.
Norman R C
NR
Campbell
Lawrence
L
So
Ernest
E
Amankwah
Hude
H
Quan
Colleen
C
Maxwell
D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001364:Awareness; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents