Key result
Physicians' overall adherence to the 2007 ESH/ESC guidelines for hypertension management was 70.4% (k = 0.258, P < 0.001), with more than one-fourth of high-risk patients remaining untreated.
Why the study?
Do physicians in Cyprus adhere to the 2007 ESH/ESC guidelines for the management of hypertension?
Observational (n=654)
Yes
Do physicians in Cyprus adhere to the 2007 ESH/ESC guidelines for the management of hypertension?
Effect estimate: k = 0.258
p-value: p=< 0.001
Despite high self-reported awareness of hypertension guidelines, Cypriot physicians showed suboptimal adherence, leaving over a quarter of high-risk patients untreated and over-treating 40% of low-risk patients.
Observational data indicate variable physician guideline adherence in Cyprus; leaves open whether education or system changes improve hypertension control.
Background. The aim of the current study was to investigate physicians' perceptions and adherence to the European guidelines for the management of hypertension. Methods. This is a national, multicentre, prospective, observational study, conducted between November 2007 and June 2008, in Cyprus. Consecutive hypertensive patients have been recruited by a random sample of physicians. The physicians' recommendations for every single patient have been recorded and compared with the 2007 ESH/ESC guidelines. Results. Of the total of 654 patients, 477 (72.9%) were correctly advised by their physician to receive antihypertensive treatment to control their blood pressure, while 396 (60.5%) correctly got advices to adopt only lifestyle changes. The overall adherence of physicians to the European guidelines (overall agreement rate) was 70.4% (k = 0.258, P < 0.001). Of the total of 68 physicians, 65 (95.6%) reported that they were aware of some guidelines. There was no statistically significant effect of specific physicians' characteristics on the overall adherence to guidelines, but there was in the percentage of patients achieving medication guidelines. Conclusions. The study demonstrated that although Cypriot physicians declared that they were aware of the clinical guidelines for the management of hypertension, more than one-fourth of high risk hypertensive patients remained untreated and 40% of low risk patients received inappropriate medication.
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Θεοδώρου et al. (2012) conducted an observational in Hypertension (n=654). Physicians' adherence to 2007 ESH/ESC guidelines was evaluated on Overall adherence of physicians to the European guidelines (overall agreement rate) (k = 0.258, p=< 0.001). Physicians' overall adherence to the 2007 ESH/ESC guidelines for hypertension management was 70.4% (k = 0.258, P < 0.001), with more than one-fourth of high-risk patients remaining untreated.
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