[Blood pressure control in Spanish hypertensive patients in Primary Health Care Centres. PRESCAP 2002 Study]. / Control de la presión arterial en la población hipertensa española atendida en atención primaria. Estudio PRESCAP 2002.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: More information is needed on hypertension control in clinical practice, which includes taking at least two blood pressure (BP) readings and taking into account surgery times and previous antihypertensive drug intake. Our study aimed to assess the optimum degree of BP control in a broad sample of Spanish hypertensive patients in primary care and to determine factors associated with a poor control. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Cross-sectional, multicenter study of hypertensive patients aged over 18 years and treated with drugs during the preceeding three months, who were recruited by general practitioners through consecutive sampling in primary care settings throughout Spain over 3 consecutive days. BP measurements were performed in surgery hours (morning and evening) following standardized methods and averaging two consecutive readings. An average BP lower than 140/90 mm Hg (values lower than 130/85 mm Hg in diabetics) was regarded as optimum BP control. RESULTS: 12 754 patients were included, mean age 63.3 years (10.8), 57.2% women. 36.1% (95% CI, 35.2-36.9) had good systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) controls, 39.1% (95% CI, 38.3-40.0) had good SBP control only, and 73.1% (95% CI, 72.3-73.9) had good DBP control only. BP control was significantly (*2, p < 0.001) better during evening than during morning measurements (43.6% vs 37.1%) and in patients who had taken antihypertensive treatment before measurement (37.2%) vs. those who had not taken it (21.0%). Factors such as alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyle, obesity and age were all associated with poor BP control (Wald's (chi 2, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the PRESCAP 2002 study indicate that approximately 4 out of 10 hypertensive patients treated pharmacologically by primary health care centers in Spain have optimal BP control. Significant differences were found in the degree of control depending on surgery hours and the previous intake of antihypertensive medication.

Control de la presión arterial en la población hipertensa española atendida en atención primaria. Estudio PRESCAP 2002 / Blood pressure control in Spanish hypertensive patients in Primary Health Care Centres. PRESCAP 2002 Study

FUNDAMENTO Y OBJETIVO: Es necesario tener mayor información sobre el grado de control de la hipertensión arterial en condiciones reales de la práctica clínica, lo que incluye realizar al menos 2 lecturas de la presión arterial, así como considerar el horario de la consulta y la toma previa de la medicación antihipertensiva. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron conocer el grado de control óptimo de la presión arterial en una amplia muestra de pacientes hipertensos españoles atendidos en atención primaria y determinar los factores asociados al mal control. PACIENTES Y MÉTODO: Estudio transversal y multicéntrico que incluyó a pacientes hipertensos mayores de 18 años que seguían tratamiento farmacológico antihipertensivo desde al menos 3 meses antes; fueron seleccionados mediante muestreo consecutivo durante 3 días por médicos de familia en las consultas de atención primaria del conjunto de España. La medida de presión arterial se realizó siguiendo normas estandarizadas según el horario de consulta (matutina o vespertina) y se calculó la media aritmética de 2 tomas sucesivas. Se consideró control óptimo de la hipertensión al promedio de la presión arterial inferior a 140/90 mmHg (en diabéticos, inferior a 130/85 mmHg). RESULTADOS: Se incluyó a 12.754 pacientes (57,2 por ciento mujeres), con edad media (desviación estándar) de 63,3 (10,8) años. El 36,1 por ciento (intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95 por ciento, 35,2-36,9) presentó buen control de la presión arterial sistólica y diastólica, el 39,1 por ciento (IC del 95 por ciento, 38,3-40,0) sólo de la sistólica, y el 73,1 por ciento (IC del 95 por ciento, 72,3-73,9) únicamente de la diastólica. El porcentaje de pacientes controlados fue significativamente mayor (X2, p < 0,001) por las tardes (43,6 por ciento) que por las mañanas (37,1 por ciento), así como de los pacientes que habían tomado el tratamiento antihipertensivo el día de la visita (37,2 por ciento) frente a los que no lo habían tomado (21,0 por ciento). El consumo elevado de alcohol, el sedentarismo, la obesidad y la edad fueron los factores que más se asociaron al mal control de la hipertensión arterial (X2 de Wald, p < 0,001). CONCLUSIONES: Los resultados del estudio PRESCAP 2002 indican que aproximadamente 4 de cada 10 hipertensos tratados farmacológicamente y atendidos en el ámbito de la atención primaria de España tienen un control óptimo de la hipertensión arterial. Existen diferencias apreciables en el grado de control según el horario de consulta y la toma previa de antihipertensivos (AU)

Long-term safety and efficacy of the selective aldosterone blocker eplerenone in patients with essential hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Even within the normal range, aldosterone levels are linked to end-organ toxicity and mortality in patients with hypertension. Treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin-receptor blockers does not sufficiently reduce plasma aldosterone levels. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to assess the long-term safety profile and efficacy of the selective aldosterone blocker eplerenone. METHODS: This was a multicenter, open-label, uncontrolled trial in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. After a 1-week washout of previous antihypertensive medications, eplerenone was initiated at 50 mg once daily; the dose was titrated to a maximum of 200 mg/d to achieve a diastolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg and a systolic blood pressure <140 mm Hg. Thereafter, another antihypertensive agent could be added and titrated once, or another agent could be substituted for eplerenone. Eplerenone treatment was continued for up to 14 months in a subset of patients. RESULTS: Five hundred eighty-six patients were enrolled in the study. Their adjusted mean blood pressure (BP) at baseline was 150/96 mm Hg. The majority (80.4%) were white; 51.5% were male and 48.5% were female; 62.3% were between the ages of 45 and 64 years and 21.7% were aged >64 years. Three hundred eighty-five patients (65.7%) completed the study; 98 (16.7%) were withdrawn due to treatment failure (only 4.8% of them after month 4), and 40 (6.8%) were withdrawn due to treatment-emergent adverse events. Four hundred thirty-three of 582 (74.4%) patients in the intent-to-treat population achieved BP control during eplerenone treatment: 261 (44.8%) received eplerenone monotherapy and 172 (30.0%) received eplerenone plus another antihypertensive agent. CONCLUSIONS: Eplerenone therapy was effective in the treatment of mild to moderate hypertension over a 14-month period, either as monotherapy or in combination with another antihypertensive agent. Use of eplerenone was well tolerated in the population studied.