title: Blood pressure control in Italy:  analysis of clinical data from 2005-2011 surveys on hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Blood pressure (BP) control is poorly achieved in hypertensive patients, worldwide.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated clinic BP levels and the rate of BP control in hypertensive patients included in observational studies and clinical surveys published between 2005 and 2011 in Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the medical literature to identify observational studies and clinical surveys on hypertension between January 2005 and June 2011, which clearly reported information on clinic BP levels, rates of BP control, proportions of treated and untreated patients, who were followed in different clinical settings (mostly in general practice, and also in outpatient clinics and hypertension centres).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall sample included 158 876 hypertensive patients (94 907 women, mean age 56.6 ± 9.6 years, BMI 27.2 ± 4.2 kg/m(2), known duration of hypertension 90.2 ± 12.4 months). In the selected studies, average SBP and DBP levels were 145.7 ± 15.9 and 87.5 ± 9.7 mmHg, respectively; BP levels were higher in patients followed in hypertension centres (n = 10 724, 6.7%; 146.5 ± 17.3/88.5 ± 10.3 mmHg) than in those followed by general practitioners (n = 148 152, 93.3%; 143.5 ± 13.9/84.8 ± 8.9 mmHg; P < 0.01). More than half of the patients were treated (n = 91 318, 57.5%); among treated hypertensive patients, only 31 727 (37.0%) had controlled BP levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present analysis confirmed inadequate control of BP in Italy, independently of the clinical setting. Although some improvement was noted compared with a similar analysis performed between 1995 and 2005, these findings highlight the need for a more effective clinical management of hypertension.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Isernia, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tocci
authors.forename: Enrico Agabiti
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Rosei
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ambrosioni
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borghi
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrucci
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mancia
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morganti
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pontremoli
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Trimarco
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zanchetti
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Volpe
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents