Resumo

PEREIRA, Marta  e  AZEVEDO, Ana. Challenges for the Control of Hypertension at the Populational Level . Arq Med [online]. 2008, vol.22, n.4-5, pp.147-153. ISSN 2183-2447.

Hypertension is a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and its prevention and appropriate treatment are the key components of the management of this condition. The authors briefly comment on main differences in the definition of hypertension and classification of blood pressure between guidelines for the management of this condition. Then, a critical review is offered on estimates of the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension worldwide. Despite a large body of evidence on effective therapies with proven benefits, the proportion of hypertensive patients whose blood pressure is controlled is disappointingly low. The reasons for inadequate blood pressure control are complex and arise from a combination of factors mainly related to patients’ and physicians’ “inertia”. It is unlikely that current management strategies will lead to major improvements. Time limitations, costs and other factors have been pointed out as reasons for the unfeasibility of a sustained closer follow-up with an improvement in patient-physician feedback and information exchange. Research is warranted for the identification of main barriers and usefulness of alternative strategies to improve blood pressure control, such as, for example, the effectiveness of involving other health professionals.

Palavras-chave : hypertension; blood pressure; control; management; prevention; barriers.

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