title: Assessment of Blood Pressure Control among Hypertensive Patients in Southwest Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The rate of blood pressure control among hypertensive patients is poor and the reasons for poor control of blood pressure remain poorly understood globally.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the rate of blood pressure control among adult hypertensive patients at Jimma University Specialized Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a hospital based cross sectional study among adult hypertensive patients at Jimma University Specialized Hospital hypertension clinic from March 4, 2015 to April 3, 2015. Data on sociodemographic characteristics of the participants and adherence to antihypertensive medication(s) were collected from patients by face to face interview using a pretested structured questionnaire. Comorbidities, antihypertensive medication(s) and blood pressure measurements were collected retrospectively from medical records. Medication adherence was assessed using Morisky's Medication Adherence Scale-8 score. We did the statistical analysis using chi-square test and binary logistic regression with level of α set at 0.05. Statistical significance was considered for variables with p<0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 311 participants, 286 patients were eligible and were studied. More than half, 154 (53.8%), of the participants were males. The mean age of the participants was 54.8± 12.6 years (range 26 to 94). The majority, 196 (68.53%), of the participants were taking more than one antihypertensive medication. More than one third (39.5%) of the participants were non adherent to their medication(s). The rate of blood pressure control was 50.3%. In a univariate logistic regression analyses, age ≥65 years old (P = 0.008), physical inactivity (p<0.001), chat chewing (P<0.001), adding salt to food (P<0.001), and coffee use (P<0.001) are significantly associated with uncontrolled blood pressure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Almost half of the hypertensive patients on follow up had uncontrolled blood pressure. We recommend better health education and care of patients to improve the rate of blood pressure control at the hospital.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacy Unit, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Solomon Woldegebriel
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Asgedom
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Esayas Kebede
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Gudina
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Tigestu Alemu
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Desse
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; D002110:Caffeine