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Screening, treatment, and control of hypertension in US private physician offices, 2003-2004

Jun Ma1, Randall S Stafford

  • 1Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute, 795 El Camino Real, Stanford, CA 94301, USA. maj@pamfri.org

Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979)
|March 19, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Essential hypertension screening, treatment, and control show significant gaps in US primary care. Interventions are needed to align routine practice with evidence-based guidelines for better blood pressure management.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Public Health
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • Essential hypertension is a prevalent condition in middle-aged and senior populations within US primary care.
  • Current data on hypertension screening, treatment, and control practices are limited.
  • Understanding variations in care is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the rates of hypertension screening, treatment, and control during US office visits.
  • To identify factors associated with variations in these practices.
  • To inform targeted interventions for evidence-based hypertension management.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data from 2003-2004.
  • Examination of office visits for patients aged 18 years and older.
  • Statistical analysis to determine rates and associated factors for screening, treatment, and control.

Main Results:

  • Blood pressure was measured in 56% of all adult visits and 93% of hypertensive patient visits.
  • Only 62% of hypertensive patients received treatment, with diuretics being the most common agent.
  • Just 39% of treated visits achieved recommended blood pressure goals.
  • Factors like provider type, visit type, geographic region, and comorbidities influenced screening, treatment, and control rates.

Conclusions:

  • Significant disparities exist in hypertension screening, treatment, and control in US primary care.
  • Non-primary care providers and non-well care visits were associated with lower screening rates.
  • Geographic region, visit type, and comorbidities impacted treatment and control.
  • Further interventions are necessary to bridge the gap between evidence-based guidelines and routine clinical practice.

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