Jerome D Cohen1. 1. Department of Internal Medicine (Cardiology), St. Louis University School of Medicine, USA. cohenjd@swbell.net
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hypertension (HTN) continues to be a serious public health problem in the United States and is a major risk factor for stroke, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and other serious cardiovascular and renal diseases. Because HTN can be asymptomatic, its detection and control continues to be a challenge. The total economic burden of HTN is estimated at $73.4 billion in 2009. OBJECTIVE: To examine the potential prognostic utility of biomarkers to assess hypertension-related cardiovascular risk and their potential impact on treatment in the context of current epidemiology and demographics of HTN. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS: Although blood pressure control rates among people treated for HTN have increased from 51.3 percent to 63.9 percent over the past five years, there remains a vast unmet need for improved efficiency and effectiveness in diagnosis and treatment. Biomarkers provide a promising approach to improve detection and management of disease progression while optimizing health care expenditures.
BACKGROUND:Hypertension (HTN) continues to be a serious public health problem in the United States and is a major risk factor for stroke, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and other serious cardiovascular and renal diseases. Because HTN can be asymptomatic, its detection and control continues to be a challenge. The total economic burden of HTN is estimated at $73.4 billion in 2009. OBJECTIVE: To examine the potential prognostic utility of biomarkers to assess hypertension-related cardiovascular risk and their potential impact on treatment in the context of current epidemiology and demographics of HTN. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS: Although blood pressure control rates among people treated for HTN have increased from 51.3 percent to 63.9 percent over the past five years, there remains a vast unmet need for improved efficiency and effectiveness in diagnosis and treatment. Biomarkers provide a promising approach to improve detection and management of disease progression while optimizing health care expenditures.
Authors: David A Alter; Harindra C Wijeysundera; Barry Franklin; Peter C Austin; Alice Chong; Paul I Oh; Jack V Tu; Therese A Stukel Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2012-08-04 Impact factor: 2.655