Efficacy of a district nurse programme in the follow-up of hypertensives

A two-year single-group study in primary health care of 223 hypertensive patients with blood pressure under satisfactory control was performed. The study investigated whether the patients could be referred to district nurses for follow-up, between visits to district physicians, without risking loss of control over their blood pressure. The initial attendance rate at the nurses was high (78-92%) but the tendency to continue the follow-up was lower (36-51%). Lack of information was the major reason for patients who discontinued the follow-up without acceptable reasons. Most non-attenders had concomitant chronic diseases and visited the health care centre because of these. About 90% of all patients returned to the district physicians as scheduled. Most attenders maintained their goal of treatment during the study. It is suggested that hypertensives above the age of 50 years whose blood pressure is under satisfactory control and who do not require regular visits to the health care centre for other chronic diseases may be referred to district nurses for follow-up without risking loss of control over their blood pressure.