title: [Characteristics of patients with hypertension and metabolic syndrome attended by different specialists].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A large number of patients with cardiovascular risk exhibit metabolic syndrome and are attended by several specialists. There is no information about possible differences in the clinical characteristics and management of these patients by these specialists. The aim of the present study was to evaluate possible differences in clinical features, blood pressure control, therapeutic effort, and therapeutic inertia among medical specialities attending hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome (MS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study carried out in 17 autonomous communities in Spain, in hypertensive patients with MS consecutively recruited in ambulatory units from departments of cardiology, internal medicine, endocrinology and nephrology. Demographic and clinical data, as well as blood pressure control were assessed. Therapeutic effort was defined as the proportion of patients using 3 or more antihypertensive drugs. Therapeutic inertia was defined as the proportion of patients without any change in antihypertensive treatment despite a lack of blood pressure control (values ≥ 140 and/or 90 mmHg).
  
  
  RESULTS
  2,453 patients (40% women) with a mean age of 64 (11) years were included in the study. We observed some differences in the specific MS components among specialities. Atherogenic dyslipidemia, defined as elevated triglycerides (97%) and/or HDL-cholesterol (61%) was more common in patients attended by cardiologists. Blood pressure control was better achieved by nephrologists (16-33%, depending on the criteria used), and it was accompanied by a greater therapeutical effort (59%). Therapeutical inertia in relation to antihypertensive treatment was more common among endocrinologists (56%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypertensive patients with MS attended by different specialists have similar clinical features, although some differences are present, especially driven by more frequent lipid alterations among those attending cardiology departments. Nephrologists make a greater therapeutic effort and achieve a better blood pressure control. On the contrary, therapeutical inertia is higher among endocrinologists.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, España. adelasierra@mutuaterrassa.es
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de la Sierra
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alegría
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martínez-Castelao
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morillas
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: González-Segura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002309:Cardiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004704:Endocrinology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D007388:Internal Medicine; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009398:Nephrology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013030:Spain; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents