title: Uncontrolled hypertension among hypertensive patients on treatment in Lupane District, Zimbabwe, 2012.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  More than half of hypertensive patients reviewed at Lupane District Hospital during the first half of 2011 had uncontrolled hypertension. This prompted an investigation on the prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension and associated factors among hypertensives on treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analytical cross-sectional study was conducted. Three hundred fifty-four consenting participants were consecutively selected from eligible hypertensive patients on treatment attending the outpatients department at Lupane District Hospital for their reviews. An interviewer administered questionnaire adapted from the World Health Organization was used to collect data on risk factors. Blood pressure and anthropometric measurements were taken as per World Health Organization guidelines. Uncontrolled hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure of ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure of ≥90 mmHg in a patient taking anti-hypertensive medication.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean systolic BP was 151.0 mmHg and mean diastolic BP was 92.6 mmHg. Prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension was (238) 67.2%. Independent risk factors for uncontrolled hypertension were obesity (AOR 3.28, 95% CI 1.39-7.75) and adding salt to food at the table (AOR 2.77, 95% CI 1.41-5.43) whilst being compliant with the drug treatment regimen (AOR 0.34, 95% CI 0.16-0.72) and having received health education on hypertension (AOR 0.49, 95% CI 0.25- 0.97) were protective against uncontrolled hypertension.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension is high despite all the participants being on treatment. The findings suggest that interventions at the patient, the provider and the health delivery system are needed to improve hypertension control in Lupane, Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: Tafadzwa Priscilla
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Goverwa
authors.forename: Nyasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Masuka
authors.forename: Mufuta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tshimanga
authors.forename: Notion Tafara
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Gombe
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Takundwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe. bangured@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Donewell
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bangure
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wellington
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006767:Hospitals, District; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000009:adverse effects; D017211:Treatment Failure; D015030:Zimbabwe / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary