Treatment of arterial hypertension in the Murcia region. Analysis of its course from 1981 to 1986. Data from a longitudinal epidemiological study, Murcia HTA/81
Báguena Gómez, J.C.; Abellán Alemán, J.; Merino Sánchez, J.
Medicina Clinica 91(20): 764-768
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-7753 PMID: 3236927 Document Number: 315089
Five hundred and forty-one individuals out of the 1.006 in the epidemiological study Murcia HTA/81 were reevaluated after five years, as selected by age, sex, and area of origin; they were representative of the adult population from Murcia. An epidemiological questionnaire and physical examination were carried ou at their homes. Hypertension was considered to exist when the WHO criteria were fulfilled. The annual detected incidence of hypertension was 1.9% (0.6% definite hypertension and 1.3% borderline hypertension). 40% of patients still received no therapeutic intervention. The indication of hygienical and dietetic measures as the only therapy was slightly increased. More diuretics and betablockers and less reserpine derivatives and vasodilators were being prescribed. One third of therapeutic prescriptions included more than one active principle. The non compliance therapy was still low (40%). Lack of compliance was mainly dependent on the patient's own decision. The overall achieved efficacy was still low (16% of the treated hyertensives, 10 % of the total population).