ABSTRACT
Fundamento y objetivo. Las enfermedades cardiovasculares constituyen la principal causa de muerte en la población española. La detección y control de los factores de riesgo cardiovascular es fundamental para prevenirlas. Este estudio tiene como objetivos fundamentales analizar la actitud y las decisiones terapéuticas de los médicos de Atención Primaria (AP) ante la hipertensión arterial (HTA) y la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2), con el fin de conocer la realidad y proponer estrategias de mejora para su correcto manejo. Material y método. Estudio ecológico de encuesta, descriptivo, transversal y multicéntrico, de ámbito nacional, con participación de médicos de AP, realizado en 2013. Se solicitó la participación en el estudio a 1.028 médicos. Resultados. El 92,9 y el 91,4% de los investigadores consultados sigue las guías para la evaluación, el tratamiento y el diagnóstico de HTA y DM2, respectivamente. Esta última se diagnostica sobre todo casualmente, y la HTA por búsqueda activa en pacientes con otros factores de riesgo. La terapia combinada tarda más de 6 meses en instaurarse en pacientes hipertensos y entre 8-9 meses en diabéticos. El porcentaje de incumplimiento es similar (10-40%) en ambas dolencias. Aproximadamente la mitad de los encuestados consideran buena o excelente la interacción con el especialista (46 y 57,3% en HTA y DM2, respectivamente). Conclusiones. La práctica clínica en AP en HTA y DM2 tiene criterios básicos comunes. La interacción entre la AP y el especialista es buena. No obstante, existe margen de mejora en el tratamiento de estos factores de riesgo, particularmente en lo relativo a intensificar la terapia precozmente (AU)
Background and objective. Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death in the Spanish population. The detection and control of cardiovascular risk factors are fundamental in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. The main objectives of this study are to analyse the attitudes and therapeutic decisions of Primary Care (PC) physicians when treating hypertension (HT) and diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2), with the aim of establishing the situation and eventually proposing improvement strategies. Material and method. A national ecological, multicentre, cross-sectional, and descriptive study was conducted in 2013. A questionnaire was used and 1,028 PC physicians took part in the study. Results. A total of 92.9% of the investigators consulted have indicated that they follow the guidelines for evaluation, treatment, and diagnosis of HT, and 91.4% in the case of diabetes. The latter is diagnosed as a casual finding, while HT is diagnosed through active investigation in patients with other risk factors. Combined therapy takes more than 6 months to take effect in patients with HT, and between 8 and 9 months in diabetic patients. The percentage of non-compliance is similar (10-40%) in both pathologies. Around half the physicians questioned considered interaction with the specialist to be good or excellent (46% HT and 57.3% DM2). Conclusions. Clinical practices in PC for HT and DM2 have some basic criteria in common. The interaction with the specialist is good, but there is a considerable margin for improvement (AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Hypertension/epidemiology , 50230 , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Primary Health Care/methods , Risk Factors , Health Care Surveys/statistics & numerical data , Outcome and Process Assessment, Health CareABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death in the Spanish population. The detection and control of cardiovascular risk factors are fundamental in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. The main objectives of this study are to analyse the attitudes and therapeutic decisions of Primary Care (PC) physicians when treating hypertension (HT) and diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2), with the aim of establishing the situation and eventually proposing improvement strategies. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A national ecological, multicentre, cross-sectional, and descriptive study was conducted in 2013. A questionnaire was used and 1,028 PC physicians took part in the study. RESULTS: A total of 92.9% of the investigators consulted have indicated that they follow the guidelines for evaluation, treatment, and diagnosis of HT, and 91.4% in the case of diabetes. The latter is diagnosed as a casual finding, while HT is diagnosed through active investigation in patients with other risk factors. Combined therapy takes more than 6 months to take effect in patients with HT, and between 8 and 9 months in diabetic patients. The percentage of non-compliance is similar (10-40%) in both pathologies. Around half the physicians questioned considered interaction with the specialist to be good or excellent (46% HT and 57.3% DM2). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical practices in PC for HT and DM2 have some basic criteria in common. The interaction with the specialist is good, but there is a considerable margin for improvement.
