© 1995 Faculty of Public Health Medicine of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom
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The detection and management of hypertension in the elderly of Northamptonshire
T. Fahey, Senior Registrar in Public Health Medicine
T. Lancaster, Deputy Director
Oxford District Health Authority Oxford OX3 9DZ
General Practice Research Group, Department of Public Health and Primary Care Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford OX2 6HE
Address correspondence to Dr Fahey
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to apply recommendations from randomized controlled trials and guidelines on the detection and control of hypertension in the elderly to a district health authority population.
METHODS: A cross-sectional audit of Northamptonshire general practitioners' (GPs') records from February to June 1993 was carried out.
RESULTS: A total of 2428 notes of men and women aged 65 or over registered with their GP was audited. A large proportion of patients, 86 per cent (95 per cent CI 84·6–87·4 per cent), had a blood pressure record taken in the last 10 years. Of those with raised blood pressure (BP
160/90 mmHg) 49 per cent (95 per cent CI 46·2–51·8 per cent) were untreated, and 58 per cent (95 per cent CI 54–61·9 per cent) of those labelled as hypertensive were not adequately controlled. The prevalence of labelled hypertension was 25 per cent (95 per cent CI 23·3–26·7 per cent)
CONCLUSIONS: From these results is it estimated that between 11 and 29 fatal and non-fatal strokes could be prevented in the 65–74-year-old age population of Northamptonshire each year if current guidelines were followed. Improved detection and management of elderly hypertensive patients in primary care could contribute significantly towards the target for stroke reduction set in the Health of the nation strategy.
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