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Characteristics of hypertensive patients and their management in rural Australia

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 19, pages 497–499 (2005)Cite this article

There is now overwhelming evidence that modern antihypertensive management reduces death, stroke and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events.1 However, this can only occur if management is instituted and blood pressure targets achieved. Recent data from AusDiab, showed a high prevalence of untreated hypertension and modifiable CVD risk factors across Australia.2 Rural Australia experiences substantially higher hospital separations for stroke and CVD and death rates from CVD when compared with metropolitan cities.3, 4 The reasons for this are unclear. Self-reported CVD risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia and obesity are patchily higher,3 but very little detailed data exist investigating the quality of risk factor management. We have therefore investigated the management of a major CVD risk factor, hypertension, in three randomly selected general practices in rural Victoria.

The practices, of comparable size, with a total of 12 general practitioners were randomly selected to be included in the review. One practice was situated in the regional centre (population 34 000) and two practices 50–100 km from the centre (populations 5000–10 000). The study was approved by the local ethics committee. Patients were informed of the chart review through posters displayed in prominent positions in the participating general practices. In spite of this, participating GPs were reluctant for the area and practices involved to be identified and hence all information that could identify the practitioners was removed.

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Acknowledgements

I thank local general practitioners for their assistance and approving publication of their data. This study was also supported from a grant from the Department of Health and Ageing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Auckland Waikato Clinical School, Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, New Zealand

    D Simmons

  2. Department of Rural Health, University of Melbourne, Shepparton, Australia

    D Simmons

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  1. D Simmons
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Correspondence to D Simmons.

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Competing interests: None.

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Simmons, D. Characteristics of hypertensive patients and their management in rural Australia. J Hum Hypertens 19, 497–499 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001840

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