Poor blood pressure control and its associated factors among older people with hypertension : A cross-sectional study in six public primary care clinics in Malaysia
- Author:
Cheong AT
;
Sazlina SG
;
Tong SF
;
Azah AS
;
Salmiah S
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Blood pressure;
older people;
hypertension;
primary care;
Malaysia
- From:Malaysian Family Physician
2015;10(1):19-25
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Introduction: Hypertension is highly prevalent in the older people. Chronic disease care is a
major burden in the public primary care clinics in Malaysia. Good blood pressure (BP) control
is needed to reduce the morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study
aimed to determine the status of BP control and its associated factors among older people with
hypertension in public primary care clinics.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study on hypertensive patients aged 18 years and
above was conducted in six public primary care clinics in Federal Territory, Malaysia. A total of
1107 patients were selected via systematic random sampling. Data from 441 (39.8%) patients
aged 60 years and more were used in this analysis. BP control was determined from the average
of two BP readings measured twice at an interval of 5 min. For patients without diabetes, poor
BP control was defined as BP of ≥140/90 mm Hg and ≥150/90 for the patients aged 80 years
and more. For patients with diabetes, poor control was defined as BP of ≥140/80 mm Hg.
Results: A total of 51.7% (𝑛 = 228) of older patients had poor BP control. The factors associated
with BP control were education level (p = 0.003), presence of comorbidities (p = 0.015), number
of antihypertensive agents (p = 0.001) and number of total medications used (p = 0.002).
Patients with lower education (less than secondary education) (OR = 1.7, p = 0.008) and the use
of three or more antihypertensive agents (OR = 2.0, p = 0.020) were associated with poor BP
control.
Conclusion: Among older people with hypertension, those having lower education level, or
using three or more antihypertensive agents would require more attention on their BP control.
- Full text:P020151027406247837509.pdf
