Abstract Text: CONTEXT: The goal of this study is to provide insight into the factors within an urban patient population that contribute to or detract from the achievement and maintenance of blood pressure control in patients having essential hypertension. OBJECTIVES: This study will evaluate the characteristics of a hypertensive population within an urban practice, the influence of those characteristics on hypertension outcomes, and the attending physician’s mode of treatment via a retrospective cohort study design. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A chart review will provide the data for a five-year period from 1995 to 2000. Inclusion criteria are: 1) a diagnosis of essential hypertension, 2) two or more consecutive episodes of systolic blood pressure recording > or=140 and/or diastolic blood pressure recording > or=90 for patients without a prior diagnosis of essential hypertension during the study period or for patients who were previously controlled on antihypertensive medications, and 3) adults. Exclusion criteria are: 1) a normotensive patient (systolic blood pressure <140 and diastolic blood pressure <90) who is not on antihypertensive medication during the study period or does not have a diagnosis of essential hypertension, 2) < or=1 episode of systolic blood pressure recording > or=140 and/or a diastolic blood pressure recording > or=90 while not taking antihypertensive medications during the study period, and/or 3) a diagnosis of secondary hypertension. RESULTS: The results of this study may enable the healthcare community to devise appropriate recommendations for optimizing blood pressure control in an urban population.
Learning Objectives: 1) Characterize the patient population of a physician’s private practice, 2) To ascertain any significant differences between and commonalities within the controlled and uncontrolled hypertensive patients within the practice, and 3) To determine any significant differences between the recommended treatment guidelines of hypertension in the literature and the physician’s actual treatment practices.
Keywords: Hypertension, Urban Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Germantown Medical Center
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.