Factors associated with blood pressure control in Swedish primary care patients with hypertension: a cross-sectional study.
Niklas Brodin, Moa Wolff, Beata Borgström Bolmsjö et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This cross-sectional analysis used baseline data from a Swedish randomized controlled trial to examine factors associated with blood pressure control among 400 patients with hypertension attending 10 primary healthcare centres. Control, defined as <140/90 mmHg, was present in 41% of participants. In univariate analyses, use of ≥2 blood pressure medications was associated with higher odds of control (OR 1.62; CI 1.07-2.46); previous myocardial infarction and diabetes were also positively associated, while family history of hypertension was negatively associated.
Key findings
- Blood pressure was controlled in 41% of participants, using the study threshold of <140/90 mmHg.
- Use of ≥2 blood pressure medications was associated with control (OR 1.62; CI 1.07-2.46).
- Previous myocardial infarction (OR 2.44; CI 1.08-5.53) and diabetes diagnosis (OR 2.26; CI 1.31-3.88) were associated with control.
- Family history of hypertension was negatively associated with control (OR 0.29; CI 0.38-0.88) in univariate analysis.
Why it matters
The findings describe blood pressure control and its correlates in Swedish primary care, where fewer than half of participants met the study’s control threshold. The association with use of multiple antihypertensive medications may help frame assessment of treatment patterns, while the differing associations with comorbidities and family history underline that these results are observational rather than evidence that any factor causes control.
What to keep in mind
The cross-sectional analysis used baseline trial data, so associations cannot establish causality. The reported family-history association came from univariate analysis.