Clin Hypertens.  2017 ;23(1):10. 10.1186/s40885-017-0066-0.

Attitudes and preferences for the clinical management of hypertension and hypertension-related cerebrovascular disease in the general practice: results of the Italian hypertension and brain survey

• Tocci G
• Cicero AF
• Salvetti M
• Musumeci M
• Ferrucci A
• Borghi C
• Volpe M

• KMID: 2404095
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1186/s40885-017-0066-0

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The aim of this survey was to evaluate attitudes and preferences for the clinical management of hypertension and hypertension-related cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) in Italy.
METHODS
A predefined 16-item survey questionnaire was anonymously administered to a large community sample of general practitioners (GPs), trained by specialized physicians (SPs), who have been included in an educational program between January and November 2015.
RESULTS
A total of 591 physicians, among whom 48 (8%) training SPs and 543 (92%) trained GPs, provided 12,258 valid answers to the survey questionnaire. Left ventricular hypertrophy was considered the most frequent marker of hypertension-related organ damage, whereas atrial fibrillation and carotid atherosclerosis were considered relatively not frequent (10-20%). The most appropriate blood pressure (BP) targets to be achieved in hypertensive patients with CVD were <140/90 mmHg for SPs and <135/85 mmHg for GPs. To achieve these goals, ACE inhibitors were considered the most effective strategies by GPs, whereas SPs expressed a preference for ARBs, both in monotherapies and in combination therapies with beta-blockers.
CONCLUSIONS
This survey demonstrates that Italian physicians considered left ventricular hypertrophy frequently associated to CVD and that drugs inhibiting the renin-angiotensin system the most appropriate therapy to manage hypertension and hypertension-related CVD.

Keyword

Hypertension management; Hypertension control; Cerebrovascular disease; Stroke; Clinical survey

MeSH Terms

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
Anonyms and Pseudonyms
Atrial Fibrillation
Blood Pressure
Brain*
Carotid Artery Diseases
Cerebrovascular Disorders*
General Practice*
General Practitioners
Humans
Hypertension*
Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular
Italy
Renin-Angiotensin System
Stroke
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors