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Visit frequency and hypertension
Richard Guthmann1, Nancy Davis, Matthew Brown
1University of Illinois at Chicago/Illinois Masonic Family Practice Residency, Chicago, IL 60640, USA. rick.guthmann-md@advocatehealth.com
Journal of Clinical Hypertension (Greenwich, Conn.)
|August 10, 2005
Summary
Shorter return visit intervals correlate with better blood pressure control in hypertensive patients. Optimizing follow-up frequency can improve hypertension management.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Family Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- The optimal return visit interval for achieving blood pressure control in hypertensive patients remains undetermined.
- Effective hypertension management is crucial for preventing cardiovascular disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between the return visit interval and the percentage change in blood pressure.
- To determine if visit frequency influences blood pressure control in a real-world clinical setting.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study analyzing hypertensive patient charts from two urban family practice offices.
- Inclusion of 429 patients with 7910 recorded return visit intervals.
- Statistical analysis using Pearson's r correlation to assess the relationship between interval length and blood pressure changes.
Main Results:
- The mean return visit interval was 79.5 days, with blood pressure control achieved in 34.5% of visits.
- A small but statistically significant negative correlation was found between return visit interval and percent change in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
- Shorter intervals were associated with greater reductions in blood pressure.
Conclusions:
- Return visit interval is a potentially significant factor in managing hypertension.
- Shorter, more frequent follow-up visits may be a valuable tool for improving blood pressure control.
- Further research could refine optimal visit scheduling for hypertensive patients.