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The study aimed to investigate differences in hypertensive- and cardio-preventive pharmacotherapy depending on if patients with hypertension received lifestyle counseling or not, including the difference between men and women. Data from the Region Stockholm VAL database was used to identify all patients with a hypertension diagnosis and had visited a primary health care center within the past five years. Data included registered diagnoses, pharmacotherapy, and codes for lifestyle counseling. Logistic regression adjusted for age and comorbidity (diabetes, stroke, coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, gout, obesity, heart failure) was used, presenting results as odds ratios (OR) with 99% confidence interval (CI). The study included 130,030 patients with hypertension; 63,402 men and 66,628 women. Patients receiving recommended lifestyle counseling were more frequently treated with three or more hypertensive drugs: women OR 1.38 (1.31, 1.45) and men = 1.36 (1.30, 1.43); certain drug classes: calcium antagonists: women 1.09 (1.04, 1.14) and men 1.11 (1.06, 1.16); thiazide diuretics: women 1.26 (1.20, 1.34) and men 1.25 (1.19, 1.32); and aldosterone antagonists: women 1.25 (1.12, 1.41) and men 1.49 (1.34, 1.65). Patients receiving recommended level of lifestyle counseling with concomitant coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, diabetes, or stroke were more frequently treated with statins than those who did not. Further, recommended lifestyle counseling was significantly associated with anticoagulant treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation. Lifestyle counseling according to recommendations in national guidelines was significantly associated with a more thorough pharmacological treatment of hypertension, statins, and antithrombotic drugs as well as anticoagulants, in both men and women., (© 2024 The Author(s). The Journal of Clinical Hypertension published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: Hypertension and fractures related to osteoporosis are major public health problems that often coexist. This study examined the associations between exposure to different antihypertensive drug classes and the risk of hip fracture in hypertensive patients., Method: We included 59 246 individuals, 50 years and older, diagnosed with hypertension during 2001-2008 in the Swedish Primary Care Cardiovascular Database. Patients were followed from 1 January 2006 (or the date of diagnosis of hypertension) until they had their first hip fracture, died, or reached the end of the study on 31 December 2012. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate the risk of hip fracture across types of antihypertensive medications, adjusted for age, sex, comorbidity, medications, and socioeconomic factors., Results: In total, 2593 hip fractures occurred. Compared to nonusers, current use of bendroflumethiazide or hydrochlorothiazide was associated with a reduced risk of hip fracture (hazard ratio 0.86; 95% CI 0.75-0.98 and hazard ratio 0.84; 95% CI 0.74-0.96, respectively), as was use of fixed drug combinations containing a thiazide (hazard ratio 0.69; 95% CI 0.57-0.83). Current use of loop diuretics was associated with an increased risk of hip fracture (hazard ratio 1.23; 95% CI 1.11-1.35). No significant associations were found between the risk of hip fracture and current exposure to beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, aldosterone-receptor blockers or calcium channel blockers., Conclusion: In this large observational study of hypertensive patients, the risk of hip fracture differed across users of different antihypertensive drugs, results that could have practical implications when choosing antihypertensive drug therapy.

Purpose: To study the differences in attitudes towards hypertension and drug treatment between patients persistent and non-persistent to antihypertensive drug treatment. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study on patients with hypertension treated at 25 primary healthcare centres in Stockholm, Sweden. Questionnaires were sent to the patients 3-12 months after initiation of antihypertensive drug treatment. Persistent medication users, defined as patients with less than 30 days without tablet supply between prescription refills, were compared with non-persistent users by scores from Likert scales: Brief-Illness Perception Questionnaire (Brief IPQ, 0-10) and Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ General, 4-20 and BMQ Specific, 5-25). Results: A total of 711 patients were included in the final analyses (mean age: 62 years; 50% women), of whom 609 (86%) were classified as persistent and 102 (14%) as non-persistent by analyses of their filled prescriptions. Likert scales from the Brief-IPQ showed (all p  < 0.02) that persistent patients believed that hypertension was a chronic condition (median 6 vs. 4), that hypertension had less consequences on their life (median 2 vs. 3) and that they can prevent cardiovascular disease by taking antihypertensive treatment (median 7 vs. 5). Likert scales from the BMQ General showed (all p  < 0.02) that persistent patients believed that there are potential benefits from taking the treatment (median 16 vs. 16), and they did not believe that the doctors put too much trust in drugs (median 12 vs. 13). Further, results from the BMQ Specific showed that they believed that the antihypertensive drugs are necessary for them in order to maintain or improve their own health (median 17 vs. 16). Conclusions: Primary healthcare providers should further emphasize the chronicity of hypertension diagnosis and the benefits of treatment, to improve the patients' medication persistence to antihypertensive treatment.

Purpose: To assess drug adherence in patients treated with ≥3 antihypertensive drug classes, with both controlled and uncontrolled blood pressure and describe associated factors for nonadherence., Methods: Patients with hypertension, without cardiovascular comorbidity, aged >30 years treated with ≥3 antihypertensive drug classes were followed for 2 years. Both patients with treatment resistant hypertension (TRH) and patients with controlled hypertension were included. Clinical data were derived from a primary care database. Pharmacy refill data from the Swedish Prescribed drug registry was used to calculate proportion of days covered (PDC). Patients with a PDC level ≥ 80% were included., Results: We found 5846 patients treated ≥3 antihypertensive drug classes, 3508 with TRH (blood pressure ≥ 140/90), and 2338 with controlled blood pressure (<140/90 mm Hg). TRH patients were older (69.1 vs 65.8 years, P < .0001) but had less diabetes (28.5 vs 31.7%, P < .009) compared with patients with controlled blood pressure. The proportion of patients with PDC ≥ 80% declined with 11% during the first year in both groups. Having diabetes was associated with staying adherent at 1 year (RR 0.82; 95% CI, 0.68-0.98) whilst being born outside Europe was associated with nonadherence at one and (RR 2.05; 95% CI, 1.49-2.82)., Conclusions: Patients with multiple antihypertensive drug therapy had similar decline in adherence over time regardless of initial blood pressure control. Diabetes was associated with better adherence, which may imply that the structured caregiving of these patients enhances antihypertensive drug treatment., (Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Objective: To assess cardiovascular outcome in patients with treatment-resistant hypertension (TRH) compared with patients with nontreatment-resistant hypertension (HTN)., Methods: Cohort study with data from 2006 to 2012 derived from the Swedish Primary Care Cardiovascular Database with hypertensive patients aged at least 30 years. TRH was defined as blood pressure at least 140/90 mmHg despite medication adherence to three or more dispensed antihypertensive drug classes. Patients with cardiovascular comorbidity were excluded. The association between TRH and cardiovascular events with adjustment for important confounders was analyzed., Results: We included 4317 TRH patients and 32 282 HTN patients. TRH patients (61% women) were older (70 vs. 66 years), had higher SBP (152 vs. 141 mmHg) and more diabetes (30 vs. 20%) (P < 0.001 for all) compared with HTN patients. Mean follow-up time was 4.3 years. In the adjusted analysis, TRH patients had an increased risk for total mortality [hazard ratio 1.12; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-1.23], cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio 1.20; 95% CI, 1.03-1.40) and incident heart failure (hazard ratio 1.34; 95% CI, 1.17-1.54) but not for incident stroke (hazard ratio 1.03; 95% CI, 0.90-1.19) or transitoric ischemic attack (hazard ratio 1.12; 95% CI, 0.86-1.46) compared with HTN patients., Conclusion: Patients with TRH have a poor prognosis beyond blood pressure level, compared with hypertensive patients without TRH. In particular, the high risk for heart failure is of clinical importance and merits further investigation.

Background Atrial fibrillation is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Hypertension is an important risk factor for the development of atrial fibrillation. Aim This study assessed the relationship between blood pressure control and new-onset atrial fibrillation in hypertensive patients. Methods and results We followed 45,530 hypertensive patients with no previously documented atrial fibrillation, attending primary healthcare in Sweden during 2001-2008. After a mean follow-up of 3.5 years 2057 patients (4.5%) developed atrial fibrillation. Compared to patients with no atrial fibrillation, the new-onset atrial fibrillation group (after adjustment for age, sex, diabetes mellitus, heart failure, ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and number of visits) had higher mean in-treatment systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure of 3.8 mmHg (95% confidence interval (CI) 3.0-4.6; P < 0.0001) and 1.6 mmHg (95% CI 1.2-2.0; P < 0.0001), respectively. Similarly, mean in-treatment pulse pressure in the new-onset atrial fibrillation group was 2.2 mmHg (95% CI 1.6-2.9; P < 0.001) higher. In a logistic regression analysis, achieved SBP ≥ 140 mmHg was associated with a higher risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation, compared to SBP 130-139 mmHg (odds ratio (OR) 1.5; 95% CI 1.3-1.7) and to SBP < 130 mmHg (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.1-1.5). There was no difference in risk for new-onset AF between SBP 130-139 and <130 mmHg (OR 0.9; 95% CI 0.7-1.1). Conclusion The present findings indicate that blood pressure control in hypertension is associated with a lower risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation.

Objectives: To analyse if there are sociodemographic differences in the utilisation of statins 9-12 months after ischaemic stroke or transitory ischaemic attack., Methods: Anonymised linkage of registry data on all patients >18 years discharged from the hospitals in Stockholm, Sweden 2006-2010 with diagnosis of ischaemic stroke (ICD-10: I63.0-9) or TIA (ICD-10: G45.9) was performed. Data on hospitalisations and diagnoses were collected from the Stockholm County Council administrative databases on healthcare consumption. Dispensed prescriptions with statins and, for comparative purposes, antihypertensive agents 9-12 months after discharge were acquired from the National Swedish Prescribed Drug Register. Data about socioeconomic factors were obtained from Statistics Sweden. The dispensing of statins and antihypertensive agents, relative to sociodemographic variables were analysed. Using logistic regression odds ratios, crude, and adjusted with education, income, origin of birth, age, and sex as predictors where calculated., Results: Of 24 312 patients with ischaemic stroke/TIA, 19 335 were alive 12 months after discharge. Statins were dispensed to 44% of all patients in the cohort, more frequently to men of all age groups, to patients with higher education, and to those with higher income. Antihypertensive agents were dispensed to 68% of all patients and there were no differences related to sex and income whilst patients with lower education were dispensed with antihypertensives more frequently., Conclusion: We find a low utilisation of statins one year after ischaemic stroke/TIA. Patients with low education, low income, and female sex were dispensed fewer prescriptions of statins indicating a need for improvement., (© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The aim was to study persistence to, and switching between, antihypertensive drug classes and to determine factors associated with poor persistence.This was an observational cohort study. The Swedish Primary Care Cardiovascular Database includes data from medical records, socioeconomic data, filled prescriptions, and hospitalizations from national registries for 75,000 patients with hypertension. Patients included in the study were initiated on antihypertensive drug treatment in primary healthcare in 2006 to 2007. We defined class persistence as the proportion remaining on the initial drug class, including 30 days of gap. Patients with a filled prescription of another antihypertensive drug class after discontinuation of the initial drug, including 30 days of gap, were classified as switchers. Persistence to the various drug classes were compared with that for diuretics.We identified 4997 patients (mean age 60 ± 12 years in men and 63 ± 13 years in women). Out of these, 95 (2%) filled their first prescription for fixed combination therapy and 4902 (98%) for monotherapy, including angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (37%), angiotensin receptor blockers (4%), beta blockers (21%), calcium channel blockers (8%), and diuretics (28%). Persistence to the initial drug class was 57% after 1 year and 43% after 2 years. There were no differences in persistence between diuretics and any of the other antihypertensive drug classes, after adjustment for confounders. Discontinuation (all adjusted) was more common in men (P = 0.004), younger patients (P < 0.001), those with mild systolic blood pressure elevation (P < 0.001), and patients born outside the Nordic countries (P < 0.001). Among 1295 patients who switched drug class after their first prescription, only 21% had a blood pressure recorded before the switch occurred; and out them 69% still had high blood pressures.In conclusion, there appears to be no difference in drug class persistence between diuretics and other major antihypertensive drug classes, when factors known to be associated with poor persistence are taken into account., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

There are gender differences in antihypertensive treatment. This study aimed to investigate if gender differences in treatment could be explained by comorbidities. In addition, we aimed to study whether blood pressure control is different in women and men, and whether women interrupt treatment more often with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) compared with men.This cohort study within the Swedish Primary Care Cardiovascular Database included 40,825 patients with hypertension attending primary health care from 2007 to 2008. Cardiovascular comorbidities, with the exception of heart failure, were more common in men. Women were more often treated with diuretics, and men with ACEI, as were hypertensive patients with diabetes. Comorbidities could not entirely explain gender differences in antihypertensive treatment in a regression model. Women had higher systolic and lower diastolic blood pressure; this was also true in subgroups with cardiovascular comorbidity. Men more often than women were prescribed ACEIs/ARBs and interrupted treatment. Women and men are treated with different antihypertensive drugs, and this is not fully explained by differences in comorbidities. Women have higher systolic blood pressures, irrespective of comorbidity. Men have interrupted treatment more often with ACEIs/ARBs. These gender differences could affect outcome and warrant further investigation., (Copyright © 2014 American Society of Hypertension. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

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.

Purpose: Few studies explored what patients initiated on blood pressure medication in primary care think about their disease and their medications. The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of hypertensive patients' views on and experiences of hypertension and the use of antihypertensive medications.Methods: A qualitative study based on open-ended questions from a survey on medication adherence, which captured treated hypertensive patients' perspective on their condition and treatment. Data were collected for 219 patients on antihypertensive medication, ≥ 30 years old, who consulted 25 primary health care centers in Stockholm, Sweden, during 2016. Thematic analysis with both inductive and deductive approach was applied.Results: We identified 21 codes from the data and grouped them under the World Health Organization's five dimensions of adherence: condition-, therapy-, health care team and system-, patient-, and socioeconomic-related factors. The analyses revealed that many patients with hypertension have limited knowledge of their disease, are afraid of drug side effects and experience various issues in primary health care that may negatively impact adherence, including short doctor appointments, prescribing without communication and room for improvement in individualization of therapy and a person-centered approach.Conclusion: Many patients with hypertension have limited understanding of their hypertension and fear of adverse events from their antihypertensive medications. There is also room for improvement in how the patients are managed in primary health care. Interventions should focus on these issues to promote a better blood pressure target achievement.Plain Language Summary: Few studies have explored what patients initiated on blood pressure medication in primary care think about their disease and their medications.In this study, we analyzed free comments collected from 219 patients responding to a survey on medication adherence. Those who responded used antihypertensive medication, were ≥ 30 years old, and consulted primary health care centers in Stockholm, Sweden.The analyses revealed that many patients with hypertension have limited knowledge of their disease, are afraid of drug side effects and experience various issues in primary health care that may negatively impact adherence, including short doctor appointments, prescribing without communication and room for improvement in individualization of therapy and a person-centered approach.Interventions to promote a better blood pressure treatment would likely benefit from targeting these problems raised by patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The aim was to study if nurse‐managed hypertension care was associated with differences in pharmacotherapy, lifestyle counseling, and prevalence of comorbid cardiometabolic diseases among patients receiving care at primary health care centers. To assess the extent of nurses' involvement in the hypertension care, a questionnaire was distributed to all primary health care centers in Region Stockholm. Age‐adjusted logistic regression models were used to analyze the results, odds ratios with 99% confidence intervals. Data was acquired from VAL, the administrative databases of Region Stockholm in Sweden, encompassing all individuals 30 years or older with a registered hypertension diagnosis who attended to the primary health care center they were registered at. Our analysis comprised 119 267 patients diagnosed with hypertension registered in one of the 224 included primary health care centers. Of the 81 primary health care centers that responded to the questionnaire, 54 reported having nurse‐managed hypertension care. Nurse‐managed hypertension care was not significantly associated with differences in pharmacotherapy or patients’ comorbidity, except for diabetes. Primary health care centers with nurse‐managed hypertension care had a 10% greater adherence to national guidelines for lifestyle counseling (33.5%) compared to those without nurse‐managed hypertension care (22.5%). Regardless of the organizational form of hypertension care management, more men received lifestyle counseling according to guidelines compared to women. In‐house routines for hypertension care, with designated nurses, and booking systems were associated with more lifestyle counseling, which has been associated with signs of better hypertension care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]