The quality of antihypertensive care

The study involved 82 hypertensive patients under 65 years of age who suffered a stroke and did not have other risk factors for stroke but high blood pressure. The purpose of the study was to disclose possible deficiencies and to indicate areas for improvement in providers' practices. The process and intermediate outcome of care were judged to be satisfactory in only 4 patients out of the 75 known as hypertensives prior to the stroke (5.2%). There was no association between the structure of care and its process or outcome. The findings of the study are being used in the efforts to improve practices. It is suggested that the described approach could be applied by rehabilitation medicine to assessments of quality of care of conditions known to be risk factors of impairments that lead to disabilities, thereby contributing to quality assurance and disability prevention.