Search

The reasons why women and men are treated with different antihypertensive drugs are not clear. Whether socioeconomic factors influence prescription patterns and blood pressure control differently in women and men has not been investigated. This cross-sectional study performed in a cohort of hypertensive patients from the Swedish Primary Care Cardiovascular Database (SPCCD) examined the influence of educational level, country of birth, gender and concomitant psychiatric disorder on prescription pattern and blood pressure control in 40 825 hypertensive patients. Men were more often than women treated with calcium channel blocker and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), irrespective of education, country of birth and psychiatric disorder. Educational level influenced the prescription pattern to some extent, where the gender differences were reduced in patients with a higher educational level. In women, but not in men, high educational level and concomitant psychiatric disorder were associated with a higher proportion reaching target blood pressure. The predominant use of ACEI and calcium channel blockers in men is not influenced by educational level, country of birth or psychiatric disorder. Thus other explanations must be considered such as gender differences in side effects. Educational level seems to have a greater impact on reaching target blood pressure in women compared with men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this prospective cohort study was to identify which blood pressure measurement during exercise is the best predictor of future hypertension. Further we aimed to create a risk chart to facilitate the evaluation of blood pressure reaction during exercise testing. A number (n=1047) of exercise tests by bicycle ergometry, performed in 1996 and 1997 were analysed. In 2007-2008, 606 patients without hypertension at the time of the exercise test were sent a questionnaire aimed to identify current hypertension. The response rate was 58% (n=352). During the 10-12 years between exercise test and questionnaire, 23% developed hypertension. The strongest predictors of future hypertension were systolic blood pressure (SBP) before exercise (odds ratios (OR) 1.63 (1.31-2.01) for 10 mm Hg difference) in combination with the increase of SBP over time during exercise testing (OR 1.12 (1.01-1.24) steeper increase for every 1 mm Hg min−1). A high SBP before exercise and a steep rise in SBP over time represented a higher risk of developing hypertension. A risk chart based on SBP before exercise, increase of SBP over time and body mass index was created. SBP before exercise, maximal SBP during exercise and SBP at 100 W were significant single predictors of future hypertension and the prediction by maximal SBP was improved by adjusting for time/power at which SBP max was reached during exercise testing. Recovery ratio (maximal SBP/SBP 4 min after exercise) was not predictive of future hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficacy of antihypertensive drug therapy is undisputed, but observational studies show that few patients reach a target blood pressure <140/90 mm Hg. However, there is limited data on the drug prescribing patterns and their effectiveness in real practice. This retrospective observational survey of electronic patient records extracted data from 24 Swedish primary health-care centres, with a combined registered population of 330 000 subjects. We included all patients 30 years with a recorded diagnosis of hypertension who consulted the centres in 2005 or 2006 (n=21 167). Main outcome measures were systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and prescribed antihypertensive drug classes. Only 27% had a blood pressure <140/90 mm Hg. The number of prescribed drugs increased with age, except among the oldest (90 years). Only 29% of patients given monotherapy had a blood pressure <140/90 mm Hg. Women more often received diuretics (52 vs 42%), and less often angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (22 vs 33%) and calcium channel blockers (26 vs 31%) than men. β-Blockers and diuretics were the most common drug classes prescribed, independent of comorbidity. In conclusion, one out of four primary care patients with hypertension reach target blood pressure. More frequent use of drug combinations may improve blood pressure control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the role of duplex scanning in the selection of patients with critical lower-limb ischemia (CLI) for infrainguinal percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA).Methods: One hundred and sixty-two limbs with CLI (150 patients) that underwent duplex scanning within 3 months prior to conventional diagnostic angiography (n = 88) or infrainguinal PTA (n = 74) were retrospectively studied. The findings obtained from duplex scanning and angiography were analyzed in a masked fashion by two different investigators.Results: The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values of duplex scanning in the selection of patients for infrainguinal PTA were 86%, 84%, 89%, 86%, and 87% respectively. Forty-two procedures (57%) were performed at multiple arterial segments. The accuracy of duplex scanning in the selection of femoropopliteal and crural lesions for PTA was over 85%. However, the sensitivity of duplex scanning in the selection of popliteal and crural lesions for PTA was 49% and 38% respectively, compared with 80% for superior femoral artery lesions. In 39% of patients who were correctly selected for PTA, duplex scanning misdiagnosed one of the multiple lesions treated by PTA.Conclusion: Duplex scanning can safely be used for the selection of patients for infrainguinal PTA. The sensitivity of duplex scanning in the selection of lesions for PTA was less satisfactory in the popliteal and crural arteries compared with the femoropopliteal arteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]