The management of hypertension--a study of records in general practice.

We investigated the management of a group of 322 hypertensive patients by 71 general practitioners in the Lothian Health Board Area by a survey of the general practitioners' records. Eighty-five per cent of patients were diagnosed by the general practitioner and 57 per cent were cared for entirely by him. Two thirds of the patients were women. Hospital referral was more common in men and in patients with high initial blood pressures. One third of patients had only one blood pressure recorded before treatment. The result of treatment as measured by the latest diastolic blood pressure was similar for patients treated by the general practitioner and those referred to hospital, being 100 mm Hg or less in 77 per cent of patients.