title: Prevalence and Control of Hypertension in Different Macro-Areas in Italy: Analysis of a Large Database by the General Practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Limited data are available on the impact of hypertension in the different regions or urban areas in Italy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate hypertension prevalence and control among adult outpatients followed by general practitioners (GPs) in different regions and macro-areas in our Country.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analysed data extracted in 2013 from the national GP Health Search-CSD database and stratified into three groups, depending on their own regions (North, Center and South). Hypertension prevalence was estimated within the overall population sample of adult individuals, whereas control was assessed in hypertensive outpatients. Hypertension diagnosis was defined according to International Classification of Diseases 9. Clinic blood pressure (BP) levels were measured according to European guidelines. BP control was defined as BP <140/90 mmHg.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 940,806 individuals (52.0 % female) were scrutinized, among whom 363,324 (38.6 %) subjects were residents in the North, 276,643 (29.4 %) in the Center and 300,839 (32.0 %) in the South. Overall hypertension prevalence was higher in North (36.8 %) compared to South (33.8 %) and Center (29.3 %). Controlled BP levels were more frequently registered in the South (66.3 %) compared to Center (60.7 %) and North (55.6 %). In all these areas, prevalence and control of hypertension were higher in female than in male individuals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present analysis demonstrates relevant differences in hypertension prevalence and control among different macro-areas and regions in Italy. Such analysis may be useful for promoting strategies aimed at ameliorating hypertension control at local levels.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome "Sapienza", Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035-39, 00189, Rome, Italy.|IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0635-4921
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tocci
authors.affiliation: Società Italiana di Medicina Generale (SIMG), Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nati
authors.affiliation: Società Italiana di Medicina Generale (SIMG), Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cricelli
authors.affiliation: Società Italiana di Medicina Generale (SIMG), Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Damiano
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Parretti
authors.affiliation: Health Search, Italian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lapi
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome "Sapienza", Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035-39, 00189, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrucci
authors.affiliation: Chair of Internal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borghi
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome "Sapienza", Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035-39, 00189, Rome, Italy. massimo.volpe@uniroma1.it.|IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, IS, Italy. massimo.volpe@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Volpe
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010045:Outpatients; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents
keywords: General medicine; Hypertension control; Hypertension prevalence; Italy