Knowledge and practice of hypertensive patients as seen in a tertiary hospital in the middle belt of Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
Hypertension remains the commonest non-communicable disease in Nigeria and a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Knowledge and practice among hypertensive patients were therefore assessed as a prelude towards attaining better blood pressure control.


METHODS
224 consecutive hypertensive patients were prospectively studied using a pre-tested questionnaire.


RESULTS
Majority of the hypertensive patients attending University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital were either traders or business men/women (44.5%). Only 35.8% had their blood pressure well controlled and about 61% were diagnosed for the first time to be hypertensive in the teaching hospital. 34% of the patients commuted a distance of more than 5 km to the hospital to receive antihypertensive care. 52% and 25% of the patients checked their blood pressure monthly and three-monthly respectively. One patient volunteered history of smoking. 48% and 51.8% knew that smoking increases the propensity to develop complications and that exercise is beneficial for the control of blood pressure respectively. Knowledge of the possible complications of hypertension was very poor as 58.9% of the patients scored less than average. Only 41.1% and 1.8% of the patients were aware that excessive salt and fat intake could adversely affect the control of hypertension respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Blood pressure control is still unacceptably poor among hypertensive Nigerians. This may not be unconnected with the poor knowledge of hypertension and adverse practices by the patients.
Katibi
I A
IA
Department of Medicine, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. iakatibi@skannet.com
Olarinoye
J K
JK
Kuranga
S A
SA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents