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[Hypertension in general practice in Switzerland]

Peter Tschudi1, Benedict Martina

  • 1Institut für Hausarztmedizin IHAMB Universität Basel Universitätsspital, Petersgraben 4031 Basel. peter.tschudi@unibas.ch

Revue Medicale Suisse
|June 24, 2010
PubMed

Insights

General practitioners (GPs) report good blood pressure control in hypertensive patients, with 94% receiving treatment. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring aids diagnosis and prognosis for hypertension management.

Area of Science:

  • General Practice
  • Cardiology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Arterial hypertension is a significant public health concern and a common condition in general practice.
  • Reliable epidemiological and outcome data on hypertensive patients from primary care settings are limited.
  • The Institute of General Practice Basel initiated the

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report initial findings on blood pressure control and management strategies in hypertensive patients within a general practice cohort.
  • To evaluate the utility of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurement in diagnosing and managing hypertension in primary care.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of hypertensive patients was established, with Swiss general practitioners (GPs) collecting baseline and follow-up data.
  • Data were collected via an internet-based questionnaire.
  • 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurement was utilized for diagnosis and treatment monitoring.

Main Results:

  • The study included 950 hypertensive patients.
  • A high proportion of patients (94%) were receiving antihypertensive drug treatment.
  • 24-hour blood pressure measurement proved valuable for baseline diagnosis and assessing treatment effectiveness, identifying patients with elevated office BP but normal ambulatory BP who had a good prognosis.

Conclusions:

  • General practice data indicate effective blood pressure control in a significant majority of treated hypertensive patients.
  • 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is a valuable tool for accurate hypertension diagnosis and risk stratification in primary care settings.

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