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Perceived symptoms amongst hypertensive patients in routine clinical practice- a population-based study
K I Kjellgren1, J Ahlner, B Dahlöf
1Department of Medicine and Care, Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping, Sweden. karkj@huk.liu.se
Journal of Internal Medicine
|November 3, 1998
Summary
Patients on antihypertensive therapy report symptoms related to high blood pressure, but medication may introduce new side effects. Most medication changes are due to adverse effects, highlighting the need to monitor patient experiences.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
- Public Health
Background:
- Hypertension is a prevalent condition requiring long-term management.
- Understanding patient-reported symptoms is crucial for effective antihypertensive therapy.
- Assessing medication adherence and side effects is vital in clinical practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare perceived symptoms in patients with and without antihypertensive drug treatment.
- To investigate the reasons for antihypertensive medication changes in routine care.
Main Methods:
- A population-based, multicentre study involving 1013 patients on antihypertensive medication and 135 untreated hypertensive patients.
- Standardized questionnaires were used to assess symptoms and opinions on drug therapy.
- Data collected from 55 Swedish primary health care centers and 11 internal medicine clinics.
Main Results:
- A significant proportion of patients, both treated (57%) and untreated (52%), reported pre-existing symptoms of high blood pressure.
- Symptom prevalence was similar between treated (80%) and untreated (85%) patients when directly questioned.
- Side effects were the primary reason for medication changes, reported by 42% of patients who had changed treatment (average 2.4 changes over 12 years).
Conclusions:
- Antihypertensive medications can alleviate hypertension-related symptoms but may introduce new medication-induced symptoms.
- Medication changes are frequently driven by side effects, necessitating careful patient monitoring.
- Effective hypertension management requires attention to patient-reported treatment experiences and symptom reduction over time.