Blood pressure control among hypertensives managed in a specialised health care setting in Nigeria.

In spite of the plethora of anti-hypertensives, hypertension remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality among Nigerian hypertensive population. To determine blood pressure control rate, defined as the proportion of treated hypertensive population with systolic and diastolic blood pressures less than 140 mmHg and 90 mmHg respec tively. One hundred and ten (110) treated adult Nigerian hypertensives aged 28-80 (mean 46.02 +/- 15.20) years with male: female ratio of 1:1.4 who have been commenced on treatment for at least 6 months were selected by simple random sampling for determination of blood pressure control rate and its determinant factors using clinic blood pressures. Blood pressure control rate was 42.70%. Pre-treatment mean blood pressure was significantly higher than the value at least 6 months post commencement of treatment: (170.09 +/- 15.20/108.98 +/- 15.85 mmHg versus 146.10 +/- 24.50/93.8 +/- 21.90 mmHg) (t=8.73; p<0.05). In the group with uncontrolled blood +/- 17.91 mmHg in 42 (66.6%), rose by 10.50 +/- 1.0 mmHg in 8 (12.70%) and was unchanged in 13 (20.66%) patients. Diastolic blood pressure fell by 22.22 +/- 14.58 mmHg in 32 (50.8%), rose by 7.88 +/- 6.66 mmHg in 16 (25.40%) and was unchanged in 15 (23.80%) patients. Clinic compliance and family history of hypertension were associated with satisfactory blood pressure control. Blood pressure control rate among the study population was low. Compliance and family re-enforcement should be encouraged.