E Kumpusalo1, H Pärnänen, J Takala. 1. Kuopio University, Department of Public Health and General Practice, Finland.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To highlight the present situation in hypertension control in Finnish primary healthcare. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: All health centre doctors from 30 primary health centres were asked to record every consulting patient, pick up hypertensives and evaluate their blood pressure (BP) level, drug treatment, side effects and symptoms related to drug treatment, and compliance during 2 weeks in May 1995. RESULTS: In all, 337 doctors from the 30 health centres participated in the study. They recorded altogether 4405 hypertensive patients, of which 1209 men (83%) and 2311 women (87%) had drug treatment for hypertension. Of all the drug-treated hypertensive men and women, 33% and 37%, respectively were obese (BMI > or = 30.0 kg/m2). Altogether, 13% of the drug-treated hypertensive men and 10% of women were in good control when BP < 140/90 mmHg was used as the criterion. These proportions doubled when BP < 160/90 mmHg and tripled when BP < 160/95 mmHg were applied as criteria. CONCLUSION: The proportion of drug-treated hypertensives under poor control is still high in Finland. Only a quarter of treated hypertensive patients are in good control when the criterion BP < 160/90 mmHg is applied.
OBJECTIVE: To highlight the present situation in hypertension control in Finnish primary healthcare. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: All health centre doctors from 30 primary health centres were asked to record every consulting patient, pick up hypertensives and evaluate their blood pressure (BP) level, drug treatment, side effects and symptoms related to drug treatment, and compliance during 2 weeks in May 1995. RESULTS: In all, 337 doctors from the 30 health centres participated in the study. They recorded altogether 4405 hypertensivepatients, of which 1209 men (83%) and 2311 women (87%) had drug treatment for hypertension. Of all the drug-treated hypertensivemen and women, 33% and 37%, respectively were obese (BMI > or = 30.0 kg/m2). Altogether, 13% of the drug-treated hypertensivemen and 10% of women were in good control when BP < 140/90 mmHg was used as the criterion. These proportions doubled when BP < 160/90 mmHg and tripled when BP < 160/95 mmHg were applied as criteria. CONCLUSION: The proportion of drug-treated hypertensives under poor control is still high in Finland. Only a quarter of treated hypertensivepatients are in good control when the criterion BP < 160/90 mmHg is applied.