[Are hypertensive patients managed in primary care well evaluated and controlled? HICAP Study]. / ¿Evaluamos y controlamos adecuadamente a los hipertensos atendidos en atención primaria? Estudio HICAP.

OBJECTIVE: The HICAP study assessed the cardiovascular (CV) global risk and the CV risk factors control in hypertensive patients managed in Primary Care (PC) in Spain. METHODS: Cross-sectional and multilocated study in which each investigator included data from 5 consecutives hypertensive patients. A routine laboratory test and a ECG from the previous 6 months had to be available for each patients CV global risk evaluation, blood pressure (BP) and diabetes control was based on ESH-ESC 2003; lipid profile evaluation was based on NCEP 2001 (ATP III) RESULTS: 1288 PC physicians included 6719 hypertensive patients, and data from 6375 patients were analyzed.64.5% (CI95%: 63.3-65.7) of the hypertensive patients managed in Primary Care showed a high or very high CV global risk.BP was controlled in 39.3% (CI95%: 38.1-40.5) of patients, 10.5% (CI95%: 9.1-11.9)among diabetics. 37.3% (CI95%: 35-38.7) of diabetics showed HbA1c < 6.5% and 18.8% (CI95%: 17.6-20) of dyslipidemic subjects had their LDL-c controlled. The control was lower among the patients at higher CV global risk. CONCLUSIONS: These results demostrate the high proportion of hypertensive patients that present a high CV global risk. The cardiovascular risk factors control, specially among patients at higher CV global risk, is insufficient.

Severe hypertension in the Spanish population. Association with specific HLA antigens.

There is now increasing evidence for immunological changes in essential hypertension. Immunological response is determined in part by genes linked to the HLA system. It has been reported a positive association between HLA B15 and the risk for cerebral events in essential hypertensive (EH) patients. We studied the distribution of HLA antigens in 128 EH (age range, 13-85 years) and 1000 normotensive controls. EH were classified in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria: in WHO Stages I and II, there were 100 patients; in WHO Stage III, there were 28 patients. HLA-A and B antigens of peripheral blood lymphocytes were studied according to the microlymphocytotoxicity test. The results were compared by chi-square analysis, and the p value was multiplied by the number of antigens studied at each locus, to avoid overestimation of an association. Frequency of HLA-BW 22 was higher in EH compared with controls (5.4% vs 1.2%, p less than 0.01). Frequency of HLA-B12 in EH with WHO Stage III hypertension (64.2%) was significantly increased compared either with EH in WHO Stage I or II (29%, p less than 0.01) or the control group (26.9% p less than 0.001). The incidence of HLA-B15 antigen in the whole hypertensive group was 3.1%, lower than in normotensive controls (6.4%, p less than 0.8). None of the patients with WHO Stage III hypertension had the HLA-B15 antigen. In conclusion, the results seemed to indicated that the Spanish population had an association between HLA-B12 and severe hypertension.

Quality of life and calcium channel blockade with nifedipine GITS versus amlodipine in hypertensive patients in Spain. Gastrointestinal Therapeutic System.

OBJECTIVE: Compliance with hypertension treatment is affected by treatment-related factors (complexity, side effects), efficacy and compound-specific effects that impact on quality of life. This study examined the differences in quality of life produced by two once-daily calcium channel blockers using different delivery systems: nifedipine gastrointestinal therapeutic system (GITS) and amlodipine. DESIGN: This was a double-blind, double-dummy, randomized clinical trial comparing nifedipine GITS (30 mg) and amlodipine (5 mg) for 24 weeks following a placebo run-in. Clinical, laboratory evaluations and quality-of-life data were assessed at screening, baseline randomization and three times during active therapy. SETTING: The study was conducted in 13 medical clinics in Spain. PATIENTS: The sample comprised 430 screened and 356 randomized patients with mild to moderate hypertension (diastolic blood pressure 95-114 mmHg). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and in health-related quality of life were the main outcome measures. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between active treatment groups in the blood pressure changes (systolic blood pressure: nifedipine GITS -15.5 mmHg; amlodipine -15.7 mmHg). Spontaneous adverse events consistent with calcium channel blockage were not different. The nifedipine GITS group improved in all quality-of-life measures except Sexual Symptom Distress and showed a significantly greater improvement than amlodipine in overall Quality of Life (P< 0.05), General Perceived Health (P < 0.026) and its subscale Vitality (P < 0.019). The amlodipine group declined in overall Quality of Life, General Perceived Health, Vitality and Sleep Disturbance, and significantly in Sexual Symptom Distress (P < 0.045). However, this group improved in self-reported Cognitive Functioning (P=0.036), Mental Acuity (P < 0.005) and Detachment/disorientation (P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest compound-specific effects on quality of life that may be due to differences in the delivery system. Nifedipine GITS is short-acting (2 h half-life) and is delivered continuously over a 24 h period, while amlodipine has a half-life of 40 h, which may produce more sustained low-level effects. While a more beneficial profile was observed for nifedipine, amlodipine demonstrated potential positive effects on cognitive functioning.

Antihypertensive activity of verapamil: impact of dietary sodium. The VERSAL Study Group.

OBJECTIVE: To define the influence of dietary salt intake on the antihypertensive effect of slow-release verapamil 240 mg once a day in a population with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension. DESIGN: Parallel, randomized, multicentre study. METHODS: Patients were advised to follow a moderately low salt diet (Low-salt group). After a 2-week run-in period, those patients with 24-h urinary sodium excretion (UNa) < or = 120 mmol/day and a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) between 90 and 114 mmHg were randomly assigned to verapamil + Low-salt or verapamil + unrestricted-salt diet (High-salt group) for 28 days. Compliance with diets was defined as Low-salt UNa < or = 120 mmol/day and High-salt UNa > 120 mmol/day with UNa increased by > or = 60 mmol/day over the level attained at the end of the run-in period. RESULTS: Significant reductions in mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) and DBP were found in both the Low-salt (n = 235) and High-salt (n = 183) groups. The therapeutic goal (DBP < 90 mmHg) was achieved in 38.3% of patients in the Low-salt and 44.8% of patients in the High-salt group. Office blood pressure results were confirmed by ambulatory 24-h blood pressure monitoring in a subsample of patients. Verapamil reduced mean blood pressure throughout the nycthemeral cycle without any significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The restriction in sodium intake does not have an additive effect on the antihypertensive effect of the slow-channel calcium antagonist verapamil.

Prospective comparison of therapeutical attitudes in hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients uncontrolled on monotherapy. A randomized trial: the EDICTA study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the anti-hypertensive effect of combination therapy versus a single drug regimen schedule (dose-titration or switching to a different drug class) in type 2 diabetic hypertensive patients with inadequate blood pressure (BP) control on monotherapy. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, open-fashion, parallel study of two therapeutic strategies during an 8-week period. SETTING: Primary care centers in Spain. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 898 men and women with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension, receiving antihypertensive treatment with one single drug and whose BP was > 140 and/or 90 mmHg. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomized to a fixed combination therapy (verapamil 180 mg plus trandolapril 2 mg; Knoll AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany) or continued on a single drug regimen, either increasing the dose of the current drug or switching to a different drug class. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Absolute BP reduction in the two groups of treatment, and the percentage of normalized patients (< 140/90 mmHg) in each group. RESULTS: The diastolic BP (DBP) decrease (5.6 mmHg) was significantly greater in patients treated with combination therapy, compared to patients on monotherapy (2.9 mmHg). The decrease in systolic BP (SBP) was not significantly different (11.1 versus 10.0 mmHg). In addition, a significantly higher number of patients treated with combination therapy (82% versus 74%) reached diastolic BP normalization (< 90 mmHg). CONCLUSIONS: In type 2 hypertensive patients with uncontrolled BP despite anti-hypertensive monotherapy, the change to combination therapy was more effective in attaining DBP control than any monotherapy schedule (either increasing the dose or switching to another different drug class).

Cardiovascular effects of antihypertensive drugs--involvement in the therapeutic choice.

Hypertensive patients are at an increased risk of developing cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease. Treatment has resulted in a substantial reduction in cerebrovascular deaths but not in cardiovascular mortality. As the number of deaths from myocardial infarction exceeds the sum of all other hypertension-related mortalities, these results are disappointing. The hypothesis that metabolic side effects of many antihypertensive drugs offset the potential benefit of decreasing blood pressure is of particular interest. In established hypertension there is an increase in total peripheral resistance. Long-term therapy with diuretics decreases vascular resistance. This is also evident with dihydropyridine calcium antagonists, vasodilators, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and alpha blockers. In patients with hypertension, an increased wall to lumen ratio occurs in resistance vessels where mechanisms such as smooth muscle hypertrophy and increased amounts of elastin and collagen are present. In small resistance vessels, long-term antihypertensive therapy has a positive effect, but the effect in large arteries is variable.

The J-curve. The importance of gradual reduction of blood pressure.

Even if the treatment goal in hypertension is 'the lower the better', it is obvious that blood pressure (BP) cannot be reduced without reaching a point at which organ perfusion may become compromised and where mortality and morbidity will increase rather than decrease. In 1979, a 5-fold increase in myocardial infarction among patients whose diastolic BP was reduced to below 95mm Hg was reported. In 1987, these results were confirmed, and a J-shaped relationship between diastolic BP and death from myocardial infarction in those patients with evidence of ischaemic heart disease at entry into the trial was shown. In recent years, several studies have demonstrated this J-shaped curve with a J-point between 85 and 91mm Hg. However, all the data were obtained in retrospective analyses of a small number of patients and prospective properly designed studies are necessary before changing our treatment criteria. The Behandla Blodtryck Battre Study fulfils these criteria and preliminary results demonstrate that it is possible to achieve a further reduction in BP in well controlled hypertensive patients without increasing the incidence of side effects.

[Arterial hypertension in special situations: mild, systolic and in pregnancy]. / Hipertensión arterial en situaciones especiales: leve, sistólica y del embarazo.

Mild hypertension is very common, 50% of hypertensives being with their diastolic BP between 90 and 104 mmHg. Many large studies, especially HDFP, had shown not only the deleterious cardiovascular effects of mild hypertension but also the benefits obtained with the therapy. The non-pharmacological approach should be the first step in the treatment of mild hypertension. Isolated systolic hypertension have a high prevalence in the elderly, increasing the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Sodium restriction and, if necessary, vasodilators increasing the arterial compliance seem to be the logical approach to treat isolated systolic hypertension. Finally, eclampsia is the most serious complication of pregnancy - induced hypertension. The treatment with bed rest and either betablockers or methyldopa is beneficial. If eclampsia occurs hydralazine, magnesium sulphate or nifedipine should be used.

[Relationship between cardiovascular risk profile and anti-hypertensive drug use. GEDEC (Spanish group of cardiovascular studies]. / Relación entre el perfil de riesgo cardiovascular y la selección y utilización de los fármacos antihipertensivos. GEDEC (Grupo Español de Estudios Cardiovasculares).

BACKGROUND: Hypertension guidelines emphasize the selection of antihypertensive treatment on the basis of absolute cardiovascular risk. Moreover, compelling and possible indications for each antihypertensive drug class are recommended for patients with other concomitant conditions. The aim of the present study was to analyze the relationship between the cardiovascular risk profile and co-morbid conditions on antihypertensive drug class use. METHODS: This is an observational, multicenter, cross-sectional study performed in 2,850 essential hypertensive patients. Antihypertensive drug treatment has been evaluated on the basis of the presence of other cardiovascular risk factors, target organ damage or cardiovascular diseases, as well as the absolute cardiovascular risk profile. RESULTS: Patients with diabetes were treated more frequently with calcium channel blockers (CCB) and ACE inhibitors. However, the presence of hypercholesterolemia or smoking habit did not influence the use of antihypertensive drug classes. The presence of cerebrovascular disease increased the use of CCB and ACE inhibitors, whereas coronary disease increased the use of CCB and betablockers. The use of diuretics and angiotensin II receptor antagonists was increased in patients with cardiac failure, whereas neither betablockers nor ACE inhibitors were affected by this concomitant disease. Patients with the highest cardiovascular risk received more antihypertensive treatment than those with lower risk, but this was not accompanied by switching from old classes to new ones. CONCLUSION: Cardiovascular risk profile seems to have little influence on the use of antihypertensive drug classes, particularly the presence of hypercholesterolemia or cardiac failure. It seems adequate to emphasize the necessity of an individualization of antihypertensive treatment, based on the presence of concomitant conditions that influence the absolute cardiovascular risk.

[The effect of therapeutic diuresis in carbohydrate tolerance in essential hypertension (author's transl)]. / Efecto de la terapéutica diurética sobre la tolerancia hidrocarbonada en la hipertensión arterial esencial.

Carbohydrate tolerance was studied in ten patients with essential hypertension, both before and after one year of treatment with a diuretic: bumethanide. No significant differences were found in glucose and insulin values. Results show hyperglycemia aggravation to be minimal with bumethanide, although it is necessary to repeat determinations after several years of treatment as it has been demonstrated that hyperglycemia is aggravated in patients with essential hypertension after several years treatment with diuretics.

[Sleep apnea in arterial hypertension]. / Apnea del sueño en la hipertensión arterial.

BACKGROUND: The sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) and high blood pressure (HBP) present multiple relations. Apnea culminates with an increase in arterial pressure, and a high percentage of apneic patients have HBP. It has also been reported that SAS is more frequent among hypertensive patients than among the general population. METHODS: In the present study 91 essential hypertensive individuals were studied by a questionnaire and polygraphic study of night sleep, to establish the prevalence of SAS among hypertensive subjects and the predictive value of the clinical questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalence of SAS in HBP was 8.8%. The greatest predictive value was found for the presence of respiratory pauses every night and throughout the night. The risk factor of greatest association was cigarette smoking and the greatest organic repercussion was observed in renal function. CONCLUSIONS: An increase in the prevalence of sleep apnea syndrome was found among essential hypertensive subjects, thus leading this syndrome to be suggested as a risk factor of high blood pressure. The question as to whether the patients present daily pauses between snores and throughout the entire night is suggestive and implies confirmation by polygraphic study of night sleep.

[Treatment of essential arterial hypertension with hypercholesterolemia. Effects of an alpha-adrenergic blocker and an inhibitor of the angiotensin converting enzyme]. / Tratamiento de la hipertensión arterial esencial con hipercolesterolemia. Efectos de un bloqueador alfaadrenérgico y un inhibidor de la enzima conversiva de la angiotensina.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension and hypercholesterolemia are frequently associated with this leading to considerable cardiovascular risk. METHODS: An open parallel randomized study was performed in which the effects of doxazosin, an alpha-adrenergic blocker and enalapril, an inhibitor of the angiotensin converting enzyme were compared in 70 patients with essential high blood pressure and plasma cholesterol levels greater than 240 mg/dl. Following 2-4 weeks of placebo administration the patients were randomly treated with one of the two drugs. When required doses were increased and hydrochlorothiazide added until blood pressure lower than 160/95 mmHg was achieved. After this period the patients were observed for a minimum of 8 weeks. The mean length of the study was of 22 weeks. RESULTS: Both drugs significantly reduced blood pressure without modifying cardiac frequency. Doxazosin tended to favorably modify the lipid profile of the plasma while enalapril significantly reduced the levels of cholesterol, lipids and high density lipoproteins (HDL). Upon termination of the study the total HDL/cholesterol index increased 8.6% in those treated with doxazosin and decreased 5.5% in those receiving enalapril (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Although doxazosin and enalapril are potent antihypertensive drugs, the effects on plasma lipid obtained with doxazosin indicate that a reduction in cardiovascular risk was achieved with this drug in the patients included in this study.

[Association between blood pressure and circulating hormonal factors with left ventricular mass in patients with essential hypertension older than 55 years of age]. / Asociación entre la presión arterial y factores hormonales circulantes con la masa ventricular izquierda en hipertensos esenciales mayores de 55 años.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is higher in elderly patients with hypertension than in normotensive patients. The factors relationed herewith are not well known. The first purpose was to analyse the relationship between the levels of blood pressure (BP) recorded by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and the left ventricular mass index (LVMI) in a group of untreated patients older than 55 years with essential hypertension. Our second purpose was to observe the relationship between the concentration of several circulating hormones and the left ventricular mass index. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study included 31 untreated patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension and 37 healthy normotensives. Both groups were of similar age, sex and body mass index. We determined for both groups the casual arterial pressure (CAP), ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) throughout 24 h, daytime (07.00-23.00 h), nighttime (23.00-07.00 h), left ventricular mass index (LVMI) (following Devereux's formula) and circulating levels of endothelin-1, aldosterone, renine, free adrenaline and noradrenaline. RESULTS: The ILVM in hypertensive patients was 139.6 +/- 35.9 g/m2 and in 124.0 +/- 31.8 g/m2 in normotensive (p < 0.05). The percentage of patients with LVH was 63 and 43%, respectively (p < 0.05). The LVMI in hypertensive patients was correlated with the diastolic CAP (97 +/- 7 mmHg) (r = 0.41; p < 0.05), unlike with the systolic CAP (164 +/- 18 mmHg). The ILVM in normotense patients was not associated neither with the systolic CAP (126 +/- 10 mmHg) nor with the diastolic (79 +/- 6 mmHg). In hypertensive patients we found a slight association between the LVMI and the systolic ABPM (130 +/- 14 mmHg) during nighttime (r = 0.41; p < 0.05). The rest of average ambulatory BP and the hormonal values at study did not show a correlation with the LVMI in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: A slight correlation exists between BP (casual and determined with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring throughout 24 hours) and the left ventricular mass index in mild to moderate untrated hypertensive patients older than 55 years. We did not observe correlations between the circulating levels of endothelin-1, renin, aldosterone, free adrenaline and noradrenaline and the left ventricular mass. The average ventricular mass and the number of subjects with ventricular hypertrophy was significantly increased in hypertensives than in normotensives.

Calcium intake, calcium excretion and blood pressure in adolescents in the upper decile of the distribution: the Torrejon study.

We studied, by dietary recall, the calcium and magnesium intake in 1109 adolescents aged 14-18 years; from 128 we collected a 24-h urine sample to determine electrolyte excretion. Subjects with blood pressure greater than 90th percentile (211) did not consume less calcium or magnesium than those with blood pressure less than 50th (597). Urinary calcium excretion tended to be higher in the adolescents with the highest blood pressure, the difference being statistically significant in males. Urinary sodium excretion also tended to be higher in those adolescents with blood pressure above the 90th percentile than in those with blood pressure below the 50th percentile, the differences being statistically significant in females. A positive significant correlation was found between systolic blood pressure and both calcium and sodium excretion. Our results suggest that hypercalciuria is present in the early phase of hypertension and demonstrate that adolescents at high risk of developing hypertension consume the same amounts of calcium and magnesium as those with low blood pressure.

Relationship of blood pressure levels to height, weight and sodium and potassium excretion in Spanish children.

To study the distribution of blood pressure (BP) in children we measured the BP of 1928 children (aged 6-14 years) living in Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain. Of these, 441 children, representative of all ages, supplied a 24-h urine sample from which sodium and potassium were determined. There was a progressive rise in systolic BP of 1.8 mmHg and in diastolic BP of 0.8 mmHg per year of age. The correlations between BP, height and weight were positive and almost always statistically significant. Sodium excretion varied from 159 +/- 30 mmol/day at 6-7 years to 170 +/- 40 mmol/day at 13-14 years. There was a positive correlation between BP and sodium excretion which was statistically significant for diastolic BP in girls aged 6-7 years (P < 0.01) and for systolic BP in boys aged 10-12 (P < 0.05) and 13-14 (P < 0.01) years.