A Real-Life Survey on the Management of Arterial Hypertension in Italy

The use of epidemiological surveys might contribute to identify ineffective clinical behaviors and to improve them with educational interventions.

In the present survey, we evaluated the clinical attitudes for the management of patients with hypertension, in a sample of physicians in Italy who were included in an educational program in 2023.

Data from a total of 995 hypertensives (mean age 64.8 ± 13.3 years; 58.4% men) were reported in the survey. Complete data on antihypertensive treatment use and achievement of blood pressure (BP) goals at follow-up were available for only 494 individuals, whose data were therefore analyzed and compared with baseline.

At baseline, 381 patients received BP-lowering treatment, 146 (31.6%) were treated with monotherapy, 129 (26.1%) with free dose combinations and 106 (21.4%) with single-pill FDCs. BP values < 140/80 mmHg and < 130/80 mmHg were detected in 70 (14.2%) and 23 (4.6%) subjects, respectively. At follow-up evaluation, the number of treated patients rise to 462, 44 receiving monotherapy, 35 free dose combinations and 383 single-pill FDCs (p < 0.05 compared to baseline). A significant improvement of BP control was achieved, and BP values < 140/80 mmHg and < 130/80 mmHg were recorded in 470 (95.1%) and 383 (77.5%) individuals, respectively (p < 0.05 compared to baseline).

The survey identified a high prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension in the examined sample with a low use of FDCs also by specialist physicians qualified to treat high BP. After the attendance to an educational program, the prescription of FDCs significantly raised in parallel with the increase in the proportion of patients who reached recommended BP targets.