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WHO-WHL Hypertension Management Audit Project
1Department of Medicine, Ostra Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Journal of Human Hypertension
|June 1, 1993
Summary
Hypertension control in Europe shows significant gaps, with high rates of undiagnosed cases and suboptimal blood pressure control in treated patients. Physician attitudes towards non-pharmacological treatments did not align with patient survey findings.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Hypertension is a major global health concern requiring effective population-level control strategies.
- Assessing the quality of hypertension management is crucial for identifying areas for improvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the quality of hypertension control across 18 European population groups.
- To identify disparities in hypertension detection, treatment, and patient outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A multicentre cooperative project involving epidemiological surveys.
- Clinical record evaluations, patient satisfaction assessments, physician attitude surveys, and drug utilization studies.
- Utilized five distinct approaches across 31 subprojects.
Main Results:
- Undiagnosed hypertension ranged from 17% to 34% across centers.
- Less than 29% of treated hypertensive patients achieved normal blood pressure.
- Physician-reported emphasis on non-pharmacological methods contrasted with patient survey data; patient satisfaction was mixed.
Conclusions:
- Significant challenges exist in hypertension control, including detection and achieving target blood pressure.
- A discrepancy was observed between physician stated attitudes and patient-reported experiences regarding cardiovascular risk management.
- Further research and interventions are needed to improve population-level hypertension management.