Clinical characteristics, treatment, and blood pressure control in patients with hypertension seen by primary care physicians in Spain: the IBERICAN study.

Objectives: To determine the clinical profile, according to the history of hypertension, the risk of developing hypertension, current antihypertensive treatment and BP control rates in patients with hypertension from the IBERICAN cohort. Methods: IBERICAN is an ongoing prospective cohort study, whose primary objective is to determine the frequency, incidence, and distribution of CVRF in the adult Spanish population seen in primary care settings. This analysis shows the baseline clinical characteristics of patients with hypertension. Adequate BP control was defined as BP <140/90 mmHg according to 2013 ESH/ESC guidelines. Results: A total of 8,066 patients were consecutively included, of whom 3,860 (48.0%) had hypertension. These patients were older (65.8 ± 10.9 vs. 51.6 ± 14.7 years; p < 0.001), had more cardiovascular risk factors, target organ damage and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in comparison with those without hypertension. The risk of hypertension increased with the presence of associated CV risk factors and comorbidities, particularly diabetes, obesity and the metabolic syndrome, and decreased with the intensity of physical activity. Regarding antihypertensive treatments, 6.1% of patients did not take any medication, 38.8% were taking one antihypertensive drug, 35.5% two drugs, and 19.6% three or more antihypertensive drugs. Overall, 58.3% achieved BP goals <140/90 mmHg. A greater probability of BP control was observed with increasing age of patients and the greater number of antihypertensive drugs. Blood pressure control was lower in hypertensive patients with diabetes, obesity, the metabolic syndrome, increased urinary albumin excretion, higher pulse pressure, and lack of antihypertensive treatment. Conclusions: About half of patients attended in primary care settings have hypertension in Spain. Patients with hypertension have a worse CV clinical profile than non-hypertensive patients, with greater association of CVRF and CVD. Around four out of ten patients do not achieve the recommended BP goals, and higher use of combination therapies is associated with a better BP control.

Control de la presión arterial en la población hipertensa española asistida en Atención Primaria. Estudio PRESCAP 2010 / Blood pressure control in hypertensive Spanish population attended in Primary Care setting. The PRESCAP 2010 study

Fundamento y objetivo: Es necesario disponer de información actualizada sobre el control de la hipertensión arterial en condiciones reales de práctica clínica. Este estudio pretende conocer el grado de control de la presión arterial (PA) en hipertensos asistidos en Atención Primaria (AP). Pacientes y método: Estudio transversal realizado en hipertensos españoles ≥18 años asistidos en AP. La PA se midió estandarizadamente 2 veces en consulta matutina o vespertina, considerándose bien controlada cuando el promedio era <140/90mmHg en general y <130/80mmHg en pacientes con diabetes, insuficiencia renal o enfermedad cardiovascular; adicionalmente se analizó el buen control en toda la población con valores tensionales <140/90mmHg. Resultados: Se incluyeron 12.961 hipertensos (52,0% mujeres) con una edad media (DE) de 66,3 (11,4) años. El 46,3% (intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC 95%] 45,4-47,1) presentó buen control de PA sistólica y diastólica; con valores <140/90mmHg el buen control fue del 61,1% (IC 95% 60,2-61,9). El 63,6% recibía terapia combinada (44,1% 2 fármacos, 19,5% 3 o más). El porcentaje de control fue mayor (p<0,001) por las tardes (50,4%) que por las mañanas (45,1%), y en pacientes que habían tomado el tratamiento antihipertensivo el día de la visita (47,9%) frente a los que no lo habían tomado (30,5%). No tomar la medicación el día de la visita, el consumo elevado de alcohol y el antecedente de dislipidemia fueron los factores más asociados al mal control. Conclusiones: El estudio PRESCAP 2010 indica que casi 5 de cada 10 hipertensos tienen bien controlada la PA. Existen diferencias importantes según el horario de consulta y la toma previa de antihipertensivos. El control ha mejorado respecto al PRESCAP 2006 (AU)

Background and objective: This study was aimed at determining the degree of blood pressure (BP) control in hypertensive patients attended in primary care (PC) settings. Patients and method: Cross-sectional, multicenter study. Hypertensive patients ≥18 years under antihypertensive treatment attended in Spanish PC settings were included. BP control was regarded as optimum when BP values were <140/90mmHg in general population and <130/80mmHg in patients with diabetes, chronic renal disease or cardiovascular disease. BP control was also calculated for all patients when it was <140/90mmHg. Results: A total of 12,961 hypertensive patients (52.0% women) with a mean age of 66.3 (±11.4) years were included. A percentage of 46.3 (95% CI: 45.4-47.1) presented good systolic BP and diastolic BP control; 61.1% (IC 95%: 60.2-61.9) of patients presented good BP control <140/90. A percentage of 63.6% was treated with combination therapy (44.1% with 2 drugs, 19.5% with 3 or more). BP control was significantly higher in evening measurements (50.4%) than in morning measurements (45.1%), and in patients who had taken the treatment before the visit (47.9%) compared with those who had not (30.5%). Factors such as not taking the medication before the visit, heavy alcohol consumption and dyslipemia were the risk factors mostly associated with a poor BP control (P<0.001). Conclusions: Five out of 10 hypertensive patients treated in PC settings have an optimal BP control. The degree of control of arterial hypertension has improved with respect to the PRESCAP 2006 study (AU)