Objective
To determine the prevalence of hypertension, of adequate control of hypertension,
of number of antihypertensive drugs used to treat hypertension, and of types of antihypertensive
drugs used to treat hypertension in older persons who were not terminally ill in an
academic nursing home.
Design
Hypertension was diagnosed if the systolic blood pressure was 140 mm Hg or higher
and 130 mm Hg or higher if the person had diabetes or chronic renal insufficiency
or if the diastolic blood pressure was 90 mm Hg or higher and 80 mm Hg or higher if
the person had diabetes or chronic renal insufficiency. Hypertension was adequately
controlled if the blood pressure was lower than 140/90 mm Hg and lower than 130/80
mm Hg if the person had diabetes or chronic renal insufficiency.
Setting
An academic nursing home.
Participants
Two hundred and two persons (104 women and 98 men), mean age 73 years (range 50 to
98 years) residing in an academic nursing home.
Measurements
Prevalence of hypertension, of adequate control of hypertension, of number of antihypertensive
drugs used, and of types of antihypertensive drugs used.
Results
Hypertension was present in 143 (71%) of 202 persons. Adequate hypertension control
was present in 121 (85%) of 143 persons with hypertension. Of 143 persons treated
with antihypertensive drugs, 39 (27%) received 1 antihypertensive drug, 61 (43%) received
2 antihypertensive drugs, 31 (22%) received 3 antihypertensive drugs, 8 (6%) received
4 antihypertensive drugs, and 4 (3%) received 5 antihypertensive drugs. Of 143 persons
treated with antihypertensive drugs, 107 (75%) received beta blockers, 88 (62%) received
angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, 49 (34%)
received diuretics, 41 (29%) received calcium channel blockers, 15 (10%) received
clonidine, and 6 (4%) received hydralazine.
Conclusion
The prevalence of hypertension in older persons in an academic nursing home was 71%,
and 85% of these persons had adequate control of hypertension.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 18, 2007
Footnotes
None of the authors have any conflicts of interest pertaining to this study.
Identification
Copyright
© 2007 American Medical Directors Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
