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Characteristics and control of severe hypertension in a specialist, private practice in Jamaica

G R Lalljie1, S E Lalljie

  • 1glmd@hotmail.com

The West Indian Medical Journal
|February 8, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Severe uncontrolled hypertension is common in Jamaican specialist practices. Patients often have cardiovascular symptoms and require multiple medications for blood pressure control.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Public Health
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • Severe uncontrolled hypertension (Grade III) poses a significant health challenge.
  • Understanding patient characteristics and treatment outcomes is crucial for effective management.
  • Jamaican specialist practices provide a unique setting to study hypertension prevalence and control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize patients with severe uncontrolled hypertension in a Jamaican specialist practice.
  • To assess blood pressure control levels achieved in routine clinical practice.
  • To determine the number and types of antihypertensive medications needed for control.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 500 consecutive patient records from January to December 2000.
  • Data extraction focused on 48 patients diagnosed with severe (Grade III) hypertension (WHO/ISH criteria).
  • Analysis included patient demographics, comorbidities, symptoms, blood pressure control, and medication regimens.

Main Results:

  • 19% (48/500) of patients presented with severe Grade III hypertension.
  • Patients were predominantly of African ethnicity, overweight/obese, and often had comorbidities like diabetes and congestive heart failure.
  • Over half had blood pressure > 140/90 mm Hg; most required four or more antihypertensive drugs, with ACE inhibitors, diuretics, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers being most common.

Conclusions:

  • Severe hypertension is a prevalent issue in Jamaican specialist private practices.
  • Patients frequently exhibit cardiovascular symptoms, dyslipidemia, and necessitate polypharmacy for long-term blood pressure management.
  • The findings highlight the need for intensified hypertension management strategies in this population.
Abstract

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