Prevalence and severity of hypertension in a dental hygiene clinic

The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and severity of hypertension in a dental hygiene clinic and evaluate factors related to the disease.

Records of 615 patients, treated by dental hygiene students during 2003, were reviewed. Data collected included systolic and diastolic blood pressure, presence of diabetes and renal disease, non-modifiers (race, gender, and age), and modifiers (marital status, smoking habits, and occupation).

According to the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC7) classification, 154 (25%) of the subjects had normal blood pressure readings, 374 (60.8%) had prehypertension, and 87 (14.1%) had stage 1 hypertension. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference in the JNC7 classification between groups when considering the non-modifiers' race (p=.02) and the modifiers' smoking habits (p=.03) and occupation (p=.01). A statistically significant difference in the JNC7 classification existed between groups with diabetes (p=.00). The majority of patients had blood pressure readings in the prehypertension stage.

Based on these results, the researchers recommend clinical policy modifications which include: additional documentation for blood pressure readings in the prehypertension stage, lowering the systolic reading from 160 mmHg to 140 mmHg when adding hypertension alert labels, and noting prehypertension/hypertension on the dental hygiene care plan with the appropriate interventions.