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Published on: September 26, 2018

Prevalence and treatment of hypertensive patients with multiple concomitant cardiovascular risk factors in The

M C J M Sturkenboom1, J P Dieleman, G Picelli

  • 1Department of Medical Informatics and Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. m.sturkenboom@erasmusmc.nl

Journal of Human Hypertension
|August 1, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Hypertension management in patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors needs improvement in the Netherlands and Italy. Combined antihypertensive and lipid-lowering treatments are underutilized for primary cardiovascular disease prevention.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • The Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial-Lipid-Lowering Arm (ASCOT-LLA) highlighted benefits of combined treatment for high-risk hypertensive patients.
  • Hypertension and multiple cardiovascular (CV) risk factors significantly increase CV disease (CVD) risk.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the prevalence and treatment patterns of hypertension with >=3 additional CV risk factors in the Netherlands and Italy.
  • To evaluate the uptake of combined antihypertensive and lipid-lowering therapies in this population for primary CVD prevention.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study using the Integrated Primary Care Information (IPCI) and Health Search/Thales Database (HSD) from 2000-2002.
  • Inclusion criteria: patients >=16 years with hypertension (BP >140/90 mmHg) and >=1 year of data.
  • Analysis focused on prevalence, antihypertensive treatment, and combined therapy use.

Main Results:

  • Hypertension prevalence increased from 20.3% to 22.3% (IPCI) and 19.0% to 21.8% (HSD).
  • Prevalence of >=3 CV risk factors among hypertensive patients rose from 31.2% to 34.2% (IPCI) and 31.1% to 39.3% (HSD).
  • Combined antihypertensive and lipid-lowering treatment use remained low, increasing from 14.2% to 17.6% (IPCI) and 15.5% to 17.4% (HSD).

Conclusions:

  • Primary prevention of CVD in hypertensive patients with multiple risk factors in the Netherlands and Italy requires enhancement.
  • Current treatment strategies, particularly combined therapies, are underutilized, indicating a need for improved clinical practice.

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