Delayed diagnosis of hypertension in diabetic patients monitored in primary care

Delayed diagnosis of hypertension may result in inadequate blood pressure control and increased cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to estimate the delay in hypertension diagnosis in patients with type 2 diabetes and the likelihood of a diagnosis within a suitable period (first 6 months), and to analyze the patient and physician characteristics associated with delayed diagnosis.

Retrospective dynamic cohort study, with a 7-year follow-up in primary care, of 8074 adult patients with diabetes who met the diagnostic criteria for hypertension. Two thresholds were considered: 140/90mmHg and 130/80mmHg. The time elapsed between meeting these criteria and recording the diagnosis was estimated; the time course of the likelihood of a missed diagnosis and the variables associated with correct diagnosis were assessed by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and logistic regression analysis, respectively.

The mean diagnostic delay was 8.9 (15.4) months in patients with blood pressure≥140/90mmHg compared to 15.2 (19.6) months for those with <140/90mmHg (P<.001). The main variables associated with correct diagnosis were baseline blood pressure≥140/90mmHg (odds ratio=2.77; 95% confidence interval, 2.44-3.15), no history of acute myocardial infarction (odds ratio=2.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.67-2.99), obesity (odds ratio=1.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.44-1.99), absence of depression (odds ratio=1.63; 95% confidence interval, 1.27-2.08), female sex (odds ratio=1.29; 95% confidence interval, 1.14-1.46), older age, and taking more intensive antidiabetic therapy. There was an inverse relationship with the age of physicians and a direct relationship with their professional stability.

The mean diagnostic delay in hypertension among diabetic patients was greater than 6 months and varied according to the diagnostic threshold used. Patients with baseline blood pressure≥140/90mmHg were more likely to receive a timely diagnosis.