OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the annual visit days, the annual prescription days and the medical costs of hypertensive patients. METHODS: The medical insurance records of 40,267 incident patients with the diagnostic code of hypertension from September 1998 through August 1999 in Daegu city were reviewed. RESUJLTS: The proportion of the most proper medical care pattern group (Group VIII) who visited for 6-15 days with 240 prescription days or more a year was only 6.2%. The proper care group (Group IX) who visited for more than 16 days with 240 prescription days or more a year was 9.3%. The overall proper care group (Group VIII+IX) was therefore 15.5%. The proportion of the insufficient care group (Group I,IV) in both the number of visiting days and prescription days was 57.4%. The mean prescription day of the most proper group (Group VIII) was 29 days; the mean annual medical expenses, 453,587won; the mean annual amount paid by patients, 218,013won; and mean medical expenses per prescription day, 1,483won. The proportion of the overall proper care group (Group VIII+IX) was significantly higher in adults aged 50-59, those who were enrolled in industrial workers health insurance as well as government employees and private school teachers health insurance, and those who made a higher contribution per month (p<0.01). According to the type of medical facilities, the proportion of the most proper medical care pattern group was highest in the general hospitals (9.3%) but the overall proper care group was higher in the public health centers (22.1%) and private clinics (17.1%). CONCLUSIONS: The management system of hypertension should be reinforced urgently. Therefore, it is necessary to develop guidelines including the number of visiting days per year and prescription days per visit day, and make the system provide medical facilities to more properly care for hypertensive patients.
Adult ; Ambulatory Care ; Daegu ; Direct Service Costs ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Insurance ; Insurance, Health ; Prescriptions* ; Public Health

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the annual visit days, the annual prescription days and the medical costs of hypertensive patients. METHODS: The medical insurance records of 40,267 incident patients with the diagnostic code of hypertension from September 1998 through August 1999 in Daegu city were reviewed. RESUJLTS: The proportion of the most proper medical care pattern group (Group VIII) who visited for 6-15 days with 240 prescription days or more a year was only 6.2%. The proper care group (Group IX) who visited for more than 16 days with 240 prescription days or more a year was 9.3%. The overall proper care group (Group VIII+IX) was therefore 15.5%. The proportion of the insufficient care group (Group I,IV) in both the number of visiting days and prescription days was 57.4%. The mean prescription day of the most proper group (Group VIII) was 29 days; the mean annual medical expenses, 453,587won; the mean annual amount paid by patients, 218,013won; and mean medical expenses per prescription day, 1,483won. The proportion of the overall proper care group (Group VIII+IX) was significantly higher in adults aged 50-59, those who were enrolled in industrial workers health insurance as well as government employees and private school teachers health insurance, and those who made a higher contribution per month (p<0.01). According to the type of medical facilities, the proportion of the most proper medical care pattern group was highest in the general hospitals (9.3%) but the overall proper care group was higher in the public health centers (22.1%) and private clinics (17.1%). CONCLUSIONS: The management system of hypertension should be reinforced urgently. Therefore, it is necessary to develop guidelines including the number of visiting days per year and prescription days per visit day, and make the system provide medical facilities to more properly care for hypertensive patients.
Adult ; Ambulatory Care ; Daegu ; Direct Service Costs ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Insurance ; Insurance, Health ; Prescriptions* ; Public Health

Hypertension and obesity are important modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in Korea. Therefore, we assessed the association between dietary pattern and obesity in hypertensive patients to formulate health promotion strategies for the older population. Dietary information was collected from hypertensive patients visiting community health education and information center by using 24 hour recall method. The 2005 DRIs for Koreans was used to evaluate the dietary adequacy. When subjects were categorized by body mass index (BMI) as normal, overweight and obese, no significant difference in energy intake was found among groups. Dietary intakes of folate, and vitamin C in obese hypertensive patients were significantly lower than in normal weight patients (p < 0.05). When we compare the nutritional status by waist circumferences, dietary intakes of zinc, vitamin A, thiamin, vitamin C and folate were significantly lower in the obese group. Vegetable intake was significantly lower in the obese group according to BMI as well as waist circumference. Energy intake from carbohydrate was significantly higher in obese hypertensive patients (p < 0.05). Obese hypertensive patients had a higher risk of nutritional inadequacy compared to normal weight patients. Our results indicated the need for developing interventions that encourage greater consumption of vegetables while cutting down salt intake with wise selection of staple foods, for obese hypertensive patients.
Aged ; Ascorbic Acid ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cause of Death ; Energy Intake ; Folic Acid ; Health Education ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Information Centers ; Korea ; Nutritional Status ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Overweight ; Risk Factors ; Vegetables ; Vitamin A ; Waist Circumference ; Zinc