News - Hypertension Week of November 2, 2003/ Vol. 2 No. 44

Study:Special Clinics Best for Difficult-to-Treat High Blood Pressure

Patients with difficult-to-treat high blood pressure fare extremely well in special clinics exclusively devoted to hypertension, according to a study reported in the October issue of the American Journal of Hypertension.

In an effort to improve the management of hypertension, many academic health centers have established hypertension clinics. Although several types of patients are referred to the clinics, 60 to 70 percent are referred there because their hypertension has proven difficult to treat.

The researchers reviewed the charts of 145 patients seen from January 1, 1998 to December 31, 2000 at the hypertension clinic at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, CT. All of the patients had visited the clinic at least three times in the last year.

Upon entering into treatment at the clinic, the average blood pressure of the participants was 156/88 with 18 percent having their blood pressure under control. After at least three visits, the average blood pressure of the participants was 138/79 with 52 percent having their blood pressure under control. The percentage of people with high blood pressure who have it under control is about 27 percent, regardless of where and if they are being treated.

"Attendance in a hypertension clinic significantly impacts blood pressure control," concluded the researchers.

The researchers said the percentage decline in blood pressure was similar across all age groups in the study and noted that the number of medications taken by the study participants increased over time in the clinic. The researchers attributed the latter to the addition of antihypertensive drug therapy rather than substitution.