What proportion of hypertensive diabetics at Macoya Health Centre are achieving the JNC VII recommended blood target 130/80 mmHg?

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION:Despite widespread dissemination of guidelines advocating tight control, many patients with diabetes continue to have uncontrolled hypertension. We set out to determine what percentage of diabetics are achieving the target blood pressure of <130/80 at The Macoya Health Centre. METHOD: The standard criteria for this audit was adopted from the American Diabetes Association with some modifications according to the most updated evidence- based clinical guideline. JNCVII. From the period July 22nd to August 26th, 2010, all patients, records in the chronic disease clinic were examined. Inclusion criteria included Diabetic patients with hypertension included in the nurses' diabetic register, patients' records without target organ damage must show that their blood pressure was recorded at least two different occasion before the drug therapy was commenced and patients' records show that the assessments for control of blood pressure were done within 3 consultations after diagnosis with hypertension. RESULTS: of the 342 records examined, 209 were found to be both diabetic and hypertensive. 199 were eventually selected for data analysis with 10 rejected since they did not fulfill the inclusion criteria. the average age of patients was 62.7 years. the were 87 female patients and 112 male patients. A total of 75 (37.7%) of all diabetics achieved this ideal control of 130/80mmHg. this made up 44 (39%) males and 31 (35.6%) females. Discussion: The NHS Diabetics Audit for 2007-2008 showed that only 30% of the people who had their blood pressure checked during the audit period achieved the desired target blood pressure. Standards of Hypertension care for diabetics patients at the Macoya Health Centre are definitely not optimal although they are as good as those reported by other audits. However with implementation of audit recommendations and greater awareness of physicians this can improve .....