Hypertension Management in Family Practice

High blood pressure is the greatest threat to the global burden of disease, contributing to an estimated 9.4 million deaths a year. Cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality are positively correlated with the degree of elevation of blood pressure, without any evidence of a threshold down to at least 115/75 mm Hg[2]. Hypertension is common, and nearly every clinician in every specialty deals either directly or indirectly with managing it or its consequences.

The population age 65 years or older numbered 46.2 million in 2014 and they represent 14.5% of the US population, the older population in 2030 is projected to be more than twice as large as in 2000, growing from 35 million to 74 million and representing 21 percent of the total U.S. population and it is expected to more than double to 98 million in 2060.Proper managing and controlling blood pressure markedly improves patient morbidity and mortality, SHEP study showed that in persons aged 60 years and over with isolated systolic hypertension, antihypertensive stepped-care drug treatment with low-dose chlorthalidone as step 1 medication reduced the incidence of total stroke by 36%.This study will estimate the prevalence of hypertension diagnosis, treatment and outcomes in a Family Practice population. It is a hypothesis generating study