Hypertension follow-up survey Laval, Quebec, 1988

In 1988, a follow-up study of a group of hypertensives (n = 278), identified two years earlier in a prevalence survey (1986), was conducted. Blood pressure (BP) levels, treatment and control status and medical follow-up were assessed. Subjects were classified as either known hypertensives or newly identified hypertensives. There was a moderate increase in blood pressure control over the two-year period in known hypertensives. Approximately half of newly identified hypertensives remained untreated, uncontrolled; half became ex-hypertensives. One third of the ex-hypertensives, however, still had high-normal diastolic readings (85-89 mm Hg). Newly identified hypertensives reported less frequent medical visits and fewer non-pharmacological recommendations from their physicians than known hypertensives. The study suggests that follow-up and counselling on modifiable risk factors in borderline and mild hypertensives might not be up to recent Canadian and American guidelines.