Hypertension management in primary health care: a survey in eight regions of Sweden.

PURPOSE: To explore hypertension management in primary healthcare (PHC). DESIGN: Structured interviews of randomly selected PHC centres (PHCCs) from December 2019 to January 2021. SETTING: Seventy-six PHCCs in eight regions of Sweden. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Staffing and organization of hypertension care. Methods of measuring blood pressure (BP), laboratory tests, registration of co-morbidities and lifestyle advice at diagnosis and follow-up. RESULTS: The management of hypertension varied among PHCCs. At diagnosis, most PHCCs (75%) used the sitting position at measurements, and only 13% routinely measured standing BP. One in three (33%) PHCCs never used home BP measurements and 25% only used manual measurements. The frequencies of laboratory analyses at diagnosis were similar in the PHCCs. At follow-up, fewer analyses were performed and the tests of lipids and microalbuminuria decreased from 95% to 45% (p < 0.001) and 61% to 43% (p = 0.001), respectively. Only one out of 76 PHCCs did not measure kidney function at routine follow-ups. Lifestyle, physical activity, food habits, smoking and alcohol use were assessed in ≥96% of patients at diagnosis. At follow-up, however, there were fewer assessments. Half of the PHCCs reported dedicated teams for hypertension, 82% of which were managed by nurses. There was a great inequality in the number of patients per tenured GP in the PHCCs (median 2500; range 1300-11300) patients. CONCLUSIONS: The management of hypertension varies in many respects between PHCCs in Sweden. This might lead to inequity in the care of patients with hypertension.

Hypertension is mainly handled in primary healthcare (PHC), and this study shows important dissimilarities in organization and clinical management.Several variants in techniques and measurements of blood pressure were found between PHC centres.Lifestyle, clinical and laboratory assessments decreased at follow-ups compared to at diagnosis, specifically for lipids, microalbuminuria and electrocardiograms.Nearly half of the PHC centres reported that they had dedicated hypertension teams.

Hypertension treatment in the oldest-old: focus group interviews with Swedish general practitioners.

OBJECTIVE: This study explored the considerations and experiences of Swedish General Practitioners (GPs) of hypertension treatment in patients 80 years and above. DESIGN: Qualitative design with focus group interviews. Data were analysed by qualitative content analysis. SETTING: Primary health care centres (PHCCs), both rural and urban, in the Region of Västra Götaland, Sweden. SUBJECTS: GPs and GP trainees working at PHCCs in 2019 and 2020. Five focus group interviews with 24 physicians were performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Considerations and experiences of hypertension treatment in the oldest-old. RESULTS: Eighteen GPs and six GP trainees participated in the study. The latent content was formulated in a theme: 'The physician's decision-making in the treatment of hypertension in the oldest-old implies the inclusion of both medical and humanistic considerations.' The manifest content constituted three main categories: 'The patient characteristics' included medical condition, behavioural factors and daily life. 'The physician's role' described the GP as a professional and her/his experienced support. 'The treatment decision' considered these categories and involved risk-benefit balancing and communication. For the future, the participants proposed better guidelines for the oldest-old multimorbid patients, increased teamwork, continuous cooperation with nurses and better cooperation with hospital physicians. CONCLUSION: Hypertension care for the oldest-old was experienced as complicated by GPs, due to the need of balancing medical and humanistic considerations. The GP's clinical experience and the received support were of importance when making the treatment decision based on risk-benefit balancing and communication with the patient.Key pointsGPs experienced the task of caring for the oldest-old patients with hypertension as complicated.Patient factors like multimorbidity, polypharmacy, behavioural factors and the patient's condition of daily life were identified.Clinical experience and the experienced support at the PHCC were discussed as important for the GPs' treatment decision.Treatment decisions for the oldest-old patients with hypertension were based on risk-benefit balancing and communication with the patients.

Primary care physicians' concerned voices on sickness certification after a period of reorganization. Focus group interviews in Sweden.

Objective: This study explored the views of primary health care (PHC) physicians on sickness certification after reforms in 2005 prompted by the Swedish government to increase the quality and decrease the inequalities, and costs of sickness certification.Design: Qualitative design with focus group interviews. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.Setting: Urban and rural PHC centres in Region Västra Götaland, Sweden.Subjects: GPs, interns, GP trainees and locums working in PHC centres 2015. Six focus group interviews with 28 physicians were performed.Main outcome measures: Experiences and reflections about the sickness certification system.Results: The latent content was formulated in a theme: 'The physicians perceived the sickness certification process as emotive and a challenge to master with differing demands and expectations from authorities, management and patients'. Sickness certification could be easy in clear-cut situations or difficult when other factors besides the pure medical were ruling the decisions. The physicians' coping strategies for the task included both active measures (cooperation with health care staff and social insurance officers) and passive adaptation (giving in or not caring too much) to the circumstances. Proposals for the future were to transfer lengthy sickness certifications and rehabilitation to specialized teams and increase cooperation with rehabilitation coordinators and social insurance officers.Conclusions: Political decisions on laws and regulations for sickness certification impacted the primary health care making the physicians' work difficult and burdensome. Their views and suggestions should be carefully considered in future organization of primary care. KEY POINTSIn 2005 Swedish government introduced reforms to decrease the inequalities and costs of sickness certification and facilitate the physicians' work. Focus group interviews with Swedish primary care physicians revealed that sickness certification was challenging due to differing demands from authorities, management and patients.Coping strategies for the sick-listing task included both active measures and passive adaptation to the circumstances.A proposal for future better working conditions for physicians was to transfer lengthy sickness certifications and rehabilitation to specialized teams.

Long-term secondary prevention of acute myocardial infarction (SEPAT) - guidelines adherence and outcome.

BACKGROUND: A number of registry studies have reported suboptimal adherence to guidelines for cardiovascular prevention during the first year after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, only a few studies have addressed long-term secondary prevention after AMI. This study evaluates prevention guideline adherence and outcome of guideline-directed secondary prevention in patients surviving 2 years after AMI. METHODS: Patients aged 18-85 years at the time of their index AMI were consecutively identified from hospital discharge records between July 2010 and December 2011 in Gothenburg, Sweden. All patients who agreed to participate in the study (16.2%) were invited for a structured interview, physical examinations and laboratory analysis 2 years after AMI. Guideline-directed secondary preventive goals were defined as optimally controlled blood pressure, serum cholesterol, glucose, regular physical activity, smoking cessation and pharmacological treatment. RESULTS: The mean age of the study cohort (n = 200) at the index AMI was 63.0 ± 9.7 years, 79% were men. Only 3.5% of the cohort achieved all six guideline-directed secondary preventive goals 2 years after infarction. LDL < 1.8 mmol/L was achieved in 18.5% of the cohort, regular exercise in 45.5% and systolic blood pressure <140 mmHg in 57.0%. Anti-platelet therapy was used by 97% of the patients, beta-blockers by 83.0%, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers by 76.5% and statins by 88.5%. During follow-up, non-fatal adverse cardiovascular events (cardiac hospitalization, recurrent acute coronary syndrome, angina pectoris, new percutaneous coronary intervention, new onset of atrial fibrillation, post-infarct heart failure, pacemaker implantation, stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA), cardiac surgery and cardiac arrest) occurred in 47% of the cohort and readmission due to cardiac causes in 30%. CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed the failure of secondary prevention in our daily clinical practice and high rate of non-fatal adverse cardiovascular events 2 years after AMI.

Diagnoses have the greatest impact on variation in sick-leave certification rate among primary-care patients in Sweden: A multilevel analysis including patient, physician and primary health-care centre levels.

AIMS: The aims of this study were to determine and evaluate simultaneously the importance of factors known to influence sick-leave certification such as the sick leave-related diagnoses, the patients' socio-economic status, and characteristics of the physicians. METHODS: Computerised medical records from 24 public primary health-care centres (PHCC) were used in a multilevel logistic regression analysis at three levels: patients (n=64,354; sex, age, socio-economic status, workplace factors and diagnoses), physicians (n=574; sex and level of experience) and PHCC (n=24). The variation of sick-leave certification at each level was the outcome. RESULTS: Most of the variation was attributed to the patient level and only 3.5% to the physician and 1.2% to the PHCC levels. Among the patient characteristics, psychiatric diagnoses (mostly acute stress) had the highest odds ratio (OR) for sick leave (OR=16.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] 15-17.2), followed by musculoskeletal diagnoses (OR=6.1; 95% CI 5.8-6.5). Other factors with increased OR were low education (OR=1.7; 95% CI 1.6-1.8), use of social allowance (OR=1.4; 95% CI 1.2-1.7) and certain workplaces (manufacture and health and social care). Being older was not associated with increased certified sick leave. CONCLUSIONS: The greatest variation in sick-leave certification rate was seen at the patient level, specifically psychiatric diagnoses. Socio-economic factors increasing the risk for sick-leave certification were education, social allowance and occupations in manufacture and caregiving. Understanding the impact of the different factors that influence certified sick leave is important both for targeted interventions in order to facilitate patients' return to work.

Facing suspected child abuse--what keeps Swedish general practitioners from reporting to child protective services?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the reporting of suspected child abuse among Swedish general practitioners (GPs), and to investigate factors influencing them in their decision whether or not to report to child protective services (CPS). DESIGN: A cross-sectional questionnaire study. SETTING: Primary health care centres in western Sweden. SUBJECTS: 177 GPs and GP trainees. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographic and educational background, education on child abuse, attitudes to reporting and CPS, previous experience of reporting suspected child abuse, and need of support. RESULTS: Despite mandatory reporting, 20% of all physicians had at some point suspected but not reported child abuse. Main reasons for non-reporting were uncertainty about the suspicion and use of alternative strategies; for instance, referral to other health care providers or follow-up of the family by the treating physician. Only 30% of all physicians trusted CPS's methods of investigating and acting in cases of suspected child abuse, and 44% of all physicians would have wanted access to expert consultation. There were no differences in the failure to report suspected child abuse that could be attributed to GP characteristics. However, GPs educated abroad reported less frequently to CPS than GPs educated in Sweden. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that GPs see a need for support from experts and that the communication and cooperation between GPs and CPS needs to be improved. The low frequency of reporting indicates a need for continued education of GPs and for updated guidelines including practical advice on how to manage child abuse.

The Swedish Primary Care Cardiovascular Database (SPCCD): 74 751 hypertensive primary care patients.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the Swedish Primary Care Cardiovascular Database, SPCCD. Design. Longitudinal data from electronic medical records, linked to national registers. Setting. 48 primary healthcare centres in urban (south-western Stockholm) and rural (Skaraborg) regions in Sweden. Subjects. Patients diagnosed with hypertension 2001-2008. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Blood pressure (BP) and impact of retrieval of data on BP levels, clinical characteristics, co-morbidity and pharmacological treatment. RESULTS: The SPCCD contains 74 751 individuals, 56% women. Completeness of data ranged from > 99% for drug prescriptions to 34% for smoking habits. BP was recorded in 98% of patients during 2001-2008 and in 63% in 2008. Mean BP based on the last recorded value in 2008 was 142 ± 17/80 ± 13 mmHg. Digit preference in BP measurements differed between the two regions, p < 0.001. Antihypertensive drugs were prescribed in primary healthcare to 88% of the patients in 2008; however, when all prescribers were included 96% purchased their drugs. Cardiovascular co-morbidity and diabetes mellitus were present in 28% and 22%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This large and representative database shows that there is room for improvement of BP control in Sweden. The SPCCD will provide a rich source for further research of hypertension and its complications.

Long-term secondary prevention and outcome following acute coronary syndrome: real-world results from the Swedish Primary Care Cardiovascular Database.

AIMS: Most studies of treatment adherence after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are based on prescribed drugs and lack long-term follow-up or consecutive data on risk factor control. We studied the long-term treatment adherence, risk factor control, and its association to recurrent ACS and death. METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrospectively included 3765 patients (mean age 75 years, 40% women) with incident ACS from 1 January 2006 until 31 December 2010 from the Swedish Primary Care Cardiovascular Database of Skaraborg. All patients were followed until 31 December 2014 or death. We recorded blood pressure (BP), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), recurrent ACS, and death. We used data on dispensed drugs to calculate the proportion of days covered for secondary prevention medications. Cox regressions were used to analyse the association of achieved BP and LDL-C to recurrent ACS and death. The median follow-up time was 4.8 years. The proportion of patients that reached BP of <140/90 mm Hg was 58% at Year 1 and 66% at Year 8. 65% of the patients reached LDL-C of <2.5 mmol/L at Year 1 and 56% at Year 8; however, adherence to statins varied from 43% to 60%. Only 62% of the patients had yearly measured BP, and only 28% yearly measured LDL-C. Systolic BP was not associated with a higher risk of recurrent ACS or death. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol of 3.0 mmol/L was associated with a higher risk of recurrent ACS {hazard ratio [HR] 1.19 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00-1.40]} and death HR [1.26 (95% CI 1.08-1.47)] compared with an LDL-C of 1.8 mmol/L. CONCLUSION: This observational long-term real-world study demonstrates low drug adherence and potential for improvement of risk factors after ACS. Furthermore, the study confirms that uncontrolled LDL-C is associated with adverse outcome even in this older population.

In this real-world retrospective observational study, we followed 3765 elderly patients for up to 8 years after incident acute coronary syndrome.Only a low proportion of the studied population had yearly measured blood pressure and cholesterol, a low proportion had satisfied risk factor control (blood pressure and cholesterol), and adherence to secondary prevention medication was low.In this elderly population (mean age 75 years), higher levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were associated with a higher risk of recurrent coronary event and death.

Persistence to antihypertensive drug treatment in Swedish primary healthcare.

PURPOSE: To determine factors associated with low persistence in patients initiated on drug treatment for hypertension. METHODS: Cohort study using medical records for patients with hypertension in 48 Swedish primary healthcare centres. Data were linked to national registers on dispensed drugs, hospitalizations, outpatient hospital consultations, deaths, migration, and socioeconomy. We identified 5225 patients (55 % women, mean age 61 years) initiated on antihypertensive drug treatment during 2006-2007. Persistence was measured for two years by the dispensed drugs. Patients with a gap of >30 days between end of dispensed supply and the next dispensed prescription were classified as non-persistent. This was calculated by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to estimate hazard ratios for discontinuation. Potential predictors included age, gender, blood pressure before initiation of therapy, cardiovascular comorbidity, educational level, country of birth, and income. RESULTS: Among patients with a dispensed first prescription, 26 % discontinued treatment during the first year, and a further 9 % discontinued during the second year. Discontinuation (all adjusted) was more common in men (P = 0.002) and in younger patients (30-49 years, P < 0.001). Systolic (P < 0.001) but not diastolic blood pressure was positively associated with persistence. Native-born Swedish citizens and patients born in the other Nordic countries had lower discontinuation rates than those born outside the Nordic countries (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Major determinants of discontinuation of antihypertensive drug treatment are male sex, young age, mild-to-moderate systolic blood pressure elevation, and birth outside of Sweden.

Long-term follow-up of patients with elevated serum calcium concentrations in Swedish primary care.

OBJECTIVE: To follow up patients with elevated calcium concentrations after 10 years. DESIGN: Longitudinal, using medical records, questionnaires, and clinical investigation. SETTING: Primary care in Tibro, Sweden, 2008-2010. SUBJECTS: 127 patents with elevated calcium concentrations and 254 patients with normal calcium concentrations from the local community, attending the health care centre. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Diagnoses and mortality in patients with elevated calcium concentrations in 1995-2000, compared with patients with normal calcium concentrations and the background population. RESULTS: The proportion of patients for whom no underlying cause was detected decreased from 55% at baseline to 12% at follow-up. Primary hyperparathyroidism was most common in women, 23% at baseline and 36% at follow-up, and the cancer prevalence increased from 5% to 12% in patients with elevated calcium concentration. Mortality tended to be higher in men with elevated calcium concentrations compared with men with normal calcium concentrations, and was significantly higher than in the background population (SMR 2.3, 95% CI 1.3-3.8). Cancer mortality was significantly increased in men (p = 0.039). Low calcium concentrations were also associated with higher mortality (p = 0.004), compared with patients with normal calcium concentrations. CONCLUSION: This study underscores the importance of investigating patients with increased calcium concentrations suggesting that most of these patients--88% in our study--will turn out to have an underlying disease associated with hypercalcaemia during a 10-year follow-up period. Elevated calcium concentrations had a different disease pattern in men and women, with men showing increased cancer mortality in this study.

The effect of statins on mortality and cardiovascular disease in primary care hypertensive patients without other cardiovascular disease or diabetes.

AIMS: Studies in primary healthcare (PHC) assessing the effect of primary prevention with statins on mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are scarce. This study aimed to estimate the effect of statins on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke in individuals in PHC with hypertension without CVD or diabetes. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using the Swedish PHC quality assurance register QregPV, the study included 13 193 individuals with hypertension without CVD or diabetes, who had filled a first statin prescription between 2010 and 2016, and 13 193 matched controls without a filled statin prescription at the index date. Controls were matched on sex and propensity score using clinical data and data from national registers on comorbidities, prescriptions, and socioeconomic status. The effect of statins was estimated in Cox regression models. During a median of 4.2 years of follow-up, 395 individuals in the statin group vs. 475 in the control group died, 197 vs. 232 died of cardiovascular disease, 171 vs. 191 had an MI, and 161 vs. 181 had a stroke. The treatment effect of statins was significant for all-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 0.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.74-0.93] and cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.72-0.998). Overall, no significant treatment effect of statins was seen for MI (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.74-1.07), but there was a significant interaction with sex (P = 0.008) with decreased risk of MI for women but not for men (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.49-0.88 vs. HR 1.09, 95% CI 0.86-1.38). CONCLUSION: Primary prevention with statins in PHC was associated with reduced risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and in women, lower risk of MI.

The aim of this Swedish observational register-based study including 13 193 individuals initiating lipid-lowering medication with statins 2010­16, and 13 193 matched controls, was to study the effect of statins in people with high blood pressure without other cardiovascular disease or diabetes regarding risks for cardiovascular disease and mortality. Key findings During a median of 4.2 years of follow-up, 395 individuals in the statin group vs. 475 in the control group died, 197 vs. 232 died of cardiovascular disease, 171 vs. 191 had a myocardial infarction (MI), and 161 vs. 181 had a stroke.Primary prevention with statins was associated with 17% reduced risk of all-cause mortality, 15% reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality, and in women, 34% reduced risk of MI.

Hypertension: sex-related differences in drug treatment, prevalence and blood pressure control in primary care.

Antihypertensive treatment is equally beneficial for reducing cardiovascular risk in both men and women. Despite this, the drug treatment, prevalence and control of hypertension differ between men and women. Men and women respond differently, particularly with respect to the risk of adverse events, to many antihypertensive drugs. Certain antihypertensive drugs may also be especially beneficial in the setting of certain comorbidities - of both cardiovascular and extracardiac nature - which also differ between men and women. Furthermore, hypertension in pregnancy can pose a considerable therapeutic challenge for women and their physicians in primary care. In addition, data from population-based studies and from real-world data are inconsistent regarding whether men or women attain hypertension-related goals to a higher degree. In population-based studies, women with hypertension have higher rates of treatment and controlled blood pressure than men, whereas real-world, primary-care data instead show better blood pressure control in men. Men and women are also treated with different antihypertensive drugs: women use more thiazide diuretics and men use more angiotensin-enzyme inhibitors and calcium-channel blockers. This narrative review explores these sex-related differences with guidance from current literature. It also features original data from a large, Swedish primary-care register, which showed that blood pressure control was better in women than men until they reached their late sixties, after which the situation was reversed. This age-related decrease in blood pressure control in women was not, however, accompanied by a proportional increase in use of antihypertensive drugs and female sex was a significant predictor of less intensive antihypertensive treatment.

Maternal body mass index in early pregnancy is associated with overweight and obesity in children up to 16 years of age.

AIMS: Childhood obesity is an increasing public health problem. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between maternal body mass index in early pregnancy and body mass index in children up to the age of 16 years, and to estimate the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in a rural municipality in Sweden. METHODS: The study population comprised 312 pregnant women who attended the antenatal clinics in Lidköping during the year 1999 and their 319 children. Data on body mass index from antenatal clinics, child health care centres and school health care were used in linear and multinomial logistic regressions adjusted for maternal age, smoking status, and parity. RESULTS: Overweight or obesity were found in 23.0% of 16-year-olds. The correlation between maternal and child body mass index at all studied ages was positive and significant. Body mass index in 16-year-old boys showed the strongest correlation with maternal body mass index (adjusted r-square = 0.31). The adjusted relative-risk ratio for 16-year old children to be classified as obese as compared to normal weight, per 1 unit increase in maternal body mass index was 1.46 (95% confidence interval 1.29-1.65, p<0.001). Among adolescents with obesity, 37.6% had been overweight or obese at 4 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the correlation between maternal and child body mass index and that obesity can be established early in childhood. Further, we showed a high prevalence of overweight and obesity in children, especially in boys, in a Swedish rural municipality. This suggests a need for early intervention in the preventive work of childhood obesity, preferably starting at the antenatal clinic and in child health care centres.

Country of birth and mortality risk in hypertension with and without diabetes: the Swedish primary care cardiovascular database.

OBJECTIVES: Hypertension and diabetes are common and are both associated with high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We aimed to investigate associations between mortality risk and country of birth among hypertensive individuals in primary care with and without concomitant diabetes, which has not been studied previously. In addition, we aimed to study the corresponding risks of myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. METHODS: This observational cohort study of 62 557 individuals with hypertension diagnosed 2001-2008 in the Swedish Primary Care Cardiovascular Database assessed mortality by the Swedish Cause of Death Register, and myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke by the National Patient Register. Cox regression models were used to estimate study outcome hazard ratios by country of birth and time updated diabetes status, with adjustments for multiple confounders. RESULTS: During follow-up time without diabetes using Swedish-born as reference, adjusted mortality hazard ratios per country of birth category were Finland: 1.26 (95% confidence interval 1.15-1.38), high-income European countries: 0.84 (0.74-0.95), low-income European countries: 0.84 (0.71-1.00) and non-European countries: 0.65 (0.56-0.76). The corresponding adjusted mortality hazard ratios during follow-up time with diabetes were high-income European countries: 0.78 (0.63-0.98), low-income European countries: 0.74 (0.57-0.96) and non-European countries: 0.56 (0.44-0.71). During follow-up without diabetes, the corresponding adjusted hazard ratio of myocardial infarction was increased for Finland: 1.16 (1.01-1.34), whereas the results for ischemic stroke were inconclusive. CONCLUSION: In Sweden, hypertensive immigrants (with the exception for Finnish-born) with and without diabetes have a mortality advantage, as compared to Swedish-born.

Blood pressure levels and risk of haemorrhagic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation and oral anticoagulants: results from The Swedish Primary Care Cardiovascular Database of Skaraborg.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk of haemorrhagic stroke at different baseline SBP levels in a primary care population with hypertension, atrial fibrillation and newly initiated oral anticoagulants (OACs). METHODS: We identified 3972 patients with hypertension, atrial fibrillation and newly initiated OAC in The Swedish Primary Care Cardiovascular Database of Skaraborg. Patients were followed from 1 January 2006 until a first event of haemorrhagic stroke, death, cessation of OAC or 31 December 2016. We analysed the association between continuous SBP and haemorrhagic stroke with a multivariable Cox regression model and plotted the hazard ratio as a function of SBP with a restricted cubic spline with 130 mmHg as reference. RESULTS: There were 40 cases of haemorrhagic stroke during follow-up. Baseline SBP in the 145-180 mmHg range was associated with a more than doubled risk of haemorrhagic stroke, compared with a SBP of 130 mmHg. CONCLUSION: In this cohort of primary care patients with hypertension and atrial fibrillation, we found that baseline SBP in the 145-180 mmHg range, prior to initiation of OAC, was associated with a more than doubled risk of haemorrhagic stroke, as compared with an SBP of 130 mmHg. This suggests that lowering SBP to below 145 mmHg, prior to initiation of OAC, may decrease the risk of haemorrhagic stroke in patients with hypertension and atrial fibrillation.

Validity of registration of ICD codes and prescriptions in a research database in Swedish primary care: a cross-sectional study in Skaraborg primary care database.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, several primary care databases recording information from computerized medical records have been established and used for quality assessment of medical care and research. However, to be useful for research purposes, the data generated routinely from every day practice require registration of high quality. In this study we aimed to investigate (i) the frequency and validity of ICD code and drug prescription registration in the new Skaraborg primary care database (SPCD) and (ii) to investigate the sources of variation in this registration. METHODS: SPCD contains anonymous electronic medical records (ProfDoc III) automatically retrieved from all 24 public health care centres (HCC) in Skaraborg, Sweden. The frequencies of ICD code registration for the selected diagnoses diabetes mellitus, hypertension and chronic cardiovascular disease and the relevant drug prescriptions in the time period between May 2002 and October 2003 were analysed. The validity of data registration in the SPCD was assessed in a random sample of 50 medical records from each HCC (n = 1200 records) using the medical record text as gold standard. The variance of ICD code registration was studied with multi-level logistic regression analysis and expressed as median odds ratio (MOR). RESULTS: For diabetes mellitus and hypertension ICD codes were registered in 80-90% of cases, while for congestive heart failure and ischemic heart disease ICD codes were registered more seldom (60-70%). Drug prescription registration was overall high (88%). A correlation between the frequency of ICD coded visits and the sensitivity of the ICD code registration was found for hypertension and congestive heart failure but not for diabetes or ischemic heart disease.The frequency of ICD code registration varied from 42 to 90% between HCCs, and the greatest variation was found at the physician level (MORPHYSICIAN = 4.2 and MORHCC = 2.3). CONCLUSIONS: Since the frequency of ICD code registration varies between different diagnoses, each diagnosis must be separately validated. Improved frequency and quality of ICD code registration might be achieved by interventions directed towards the physicians where the greatest amount of variation was found.

[Consequences of Gout and Hyperuricemia]. / Gikt och hyperurikemi starkt associerade med folksjukdomar.

Hyperuricemia (HU) and gout are strongly associated with CVD, associations that are most likely due to shared etiologies rather than causality. HU is for example causally related to the metabolic syndrome and in particular to obesity. Gout and HU can both be caused by and lead to decreased kidney function. On the other hand, there are observational data suggesting that HU may protect against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer and Parkinson's disease. Ongoing RCTs with urate and urate lowering therapy (ULT) will help to resolve some of these controversies. Nevertheless, gout is a "curable disease" by ULT, a treatment which in adequate doses may also have positive effect on several associated co-morbidities.

[Large health benefits can be achieved by better treatment of gout]. / Stora hälsovinster att uppnå med bättre behandling av gikt.

Urate lowering therapy (ULT) should, according to recent guidelines, be initiated in the majority of cases already after the first attack of gout. Allopurinol is the first line choice of ULT and should be started with low dose, which is increased until the treatment target is reached. The treatment target should be a blood urate of < 360 µmol/l or < 300 µmol/l (in the presence of topfi), which should be maintained until topfi have resolved. NSAID/cox-inhibitors, colchicine and glucocorticoids are all valid short-term treatments of gout attacks. ULT should not be paused/terminated during attacks and can be initiated during an attack that is adequately treated. Recent RCTs of ULT treatment have demonstrated the importance of thorough and adequate information to the patient and regular follow-up until treatment targets are reached. Such a strategy improve both compliance and outcomes of ULT treatment.

[Gout - a common and well known disease]. / Gikt ­ en känd och vanlig sjukdom.

Hyperuricemia is defined by a blood urate level > 405 µmol/L, the cut-off value at which urate forms crystals in vivo. In 15-20% these individuals develop gout, clinically characterized by attacks of acute arthritis, initially and most commonly affecting MTP 1 or other joints, tendons and soft tissues of the foot. These attacks usually subside within 1 to 2 weeks. Over time attacks occur more frequently and can transform into chronic arthritis characterized by tophi. The gold standard for diagnosis relies on identification of urate crystals by polarization microscopy in aspirated joint fluid. This procedure is rarely performed in primary care where the majority of patients are seen, and gout is usually diagnosed by clinical criteria. New imaging technologies (ultrasound, dual-energy CT) can be helpful when aspiration is not available and when the diagnosis is unclear. Gout has a prevalence of 1.7% and incidence rate of approximately 200 per 100000 person-years in Sweden, figures that increase over time.

The impact of diabetes, education and income on mortality and cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients: A cohort study from the Swedish Primary Care Cardiovascular Database (SPCCD).

OBJECTIVE: In this study we aimed to estimate the effect of diabetes, educational level and income on the risk of mortality and cardiovascular events in primary care patients with hypertension. METHODS: We followed 62,557 individuals with hypertension diagnosed 2001-2008, in the Swedish Primary Care Cardiovascular Database. Study outcomes were death, myocardial infarction, and ischemic stroke, assessed using national registers until 2012. Cox regression models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios of outcomes according to diabetes status, educational level, and income. RESULTS: During follow-up, 13,231 individuals died, 9981 were diagnosed with diabetes, 4431 with myocardial infarction, and 4433 with ischemic stroke. Hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for diabetes versus no diabetes: mortality 1.57 (1.50-1.65), myocardial infarction 1.24 (1.14-1.34), and ischemic stroke 1.17 (1.07-1.27). Hazard ratios for diabetes and ≤9 years of school versus no diabetes and >12 years of school: mortality 1.56 (1.41-1.73), myocardial infarction 1.36 (1.17-1.59), and ischemic stroke 1.27 (1.08-1.50). Hazard ratios for diabetes and income in the lowest fifth group versus no diabetes and income in the highest fifth group: mortality 3.82 (3.36-4.34), myocardial infarction 2.00 (1.66-2.42), and ischemic stroke 1.91 (1.58-2.31). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes combined with low income was associated with substantial excess risk of mortality, myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke among primary care patients with hypertension.