title: Blood pressure status during consultation: a primary care study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Blood pressure control needs to be assessed at a primary care level, which is the first contact with patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate blood pressure readings among patients visiting a primary care clinic at a teaching university hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in a primary care clinic at the King Khalid University Hospital from April to September 2013. Blood pressure readings were measured by trained nurses working in a primary care clinic during patients' visits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study showed that only 33.6 % of participants had a normal blood pressure reading, and 49.3 % of participants were diagnosed as hypertensive patients. The study showed that 74.7 % do not exercise, and 45 % have high stress levels in their life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Uncontrolled blood pressure was common at this hospital-based primary care clinic, so it is recommended to educate primary care physicians to take care of blood pressure management and to educate and encourage patients about non-pharmacological advice like losing weight and coping with stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Kind Saud University, P.O. Box 28054, Riyadh, 11437, Saudi Arabia, yalturki@ksu.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Yousef Abdullah
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Al Turki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009819:Office Visits; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D055815:Young Adult