Blood pressure levels in treated hypertensive patients in general practice in Norway

The aim of this study was to examine the blood pressure (BP) levels in patients treated for essential hypertension in 1816 patients in general practice in Norway. The study was based on an optical readable questionnaire filled out by the physician including information about systolic (S) and diastolic (D) BP, gender, age, body weight, smoking habits and all pharmaceutical treatment given. Sixty-four per cent of the patients were treated with one antihypertensive drug. Only 22.3% of the women and 30.7% of the men (p < 0.05) had BP < or = 140/90 mmHg. When BP < 160/95 was used as criterion for BP control, the fraction of patients was 50%. The fraction of patients with DBP < or = 80 mmHg was 26% in the whole group of patients. DBP < or = 90 mmHg was achieved in 74% and SBP < or = 140 mmHg in 30% of the patients. The BP control was less in women and in patients above 60 years of age. Patients on combination therapy were no better controlled than those on monotherapy. Based on our results, the proportion of hypertensive patients on drug treatment with insufficient BP control is too high. Efforts should be made to improve the medical treatment of hypertension in general practice in Norway.