Blood pressure control can be achieved in rural area devastated by political upheaval

Main Category: Hypertension
Article Date: 11 Oct 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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In rural Georgia, a republic of the former Soviet Union, the healthcare system has been severely compromised by political upheaval.

But, a team of medical professionals demonstrated that they could achieve lifesaving improvements in blood pressure control by providing access to inexpensive medications and training nurses and physicians to monitor and manage high blood pressure.

The team trained eight physicians and 10 nurses to accurately measure blood pressure, educate patients about their condition, and use an inexpensive diuretic (hydrochlorothiazide) and beta-blocker (atenolol) to treat high blood pressure.

Over three years, 562 people with uncontrolled hypertension were identified, with an average blood pressure of 170/96 millimeters of mercury (mmHg). In an area where drugs are available without prescription, half took some form of anti-hypertensive medication, but fewer than 2 percent were taking a diuretic or beta-blocker.

After 18 months of the program, 99 percent of the patients were taking hydrochlorothiazide and 81 percent took atenolol; purchased in bulk, the medications cost $7.50/year for each patient.

On the program, a blood pressure control rate of 52 percent was achieved, with an average reduction in blood pressure of 31 mmHg systolic pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) and 14 mmHg diastolic (bottom number). The researchers estimate that this level of blood pressure improvement could reduce stroke and heart attacks by at least 40 percent.

They conclude that hypertension can be easily, quickly and inexpensively controlled, even in the most basic of rural family care settings.

From the American Heart Association's 58th Annual High Blood Pressure Conference
Contact: Maggie Francis
maggie.francis@heart.org
214-706-1397
American Heart Association

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