[Treatment of hypertension in Guadeloupe (FWI) in 2005: Pretrahguad study]. / Traitements médicamenteux et non médicamenteux chez l'hypertendu en Guadeloupe en 2005 : enquête PRETRAHGUAD.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate life style and drug therapy for treatment of hypertension in Guadeloupe (FWI) in 2005, and to compare the data with those obtained in a similar study realised in France metropolitan population in 2004. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of a sample of 509 subjects selected as being representative of the Guadeloupe population for age (35 years and above), gender, socioeconomic status, and place of living. Subjects who declare to take an antihypertensive medication were classified as treated hypertensive patients. A questionnaire evaluating changes in life style during the last year (physical activities, quality of food consumption, smoking, and alcohol habits) was administered by phone. RESULTS: In 2005, 32% of the population above the age of 35 years was treated for hypertension, corresponding to an estimate of 51,230 subjects. Hypertensive subjects experienced: a weight loss of more than 3 kg in 29 vs 25% in the general population, an increased in fruits and vegetables consumption in 29 vs 46%, a decreased in cheese (11 vs 8%), pork-butchery (23 vs 16%) and alcohol consumption (10 vs 6%). The percentage of subjects who increased their physical activities was not different in the two groups (24 vs 25%). We observed a larger use of diuretics and ACE-I/ARBs prescribed as combined drugs. The most frequent drug prescribed as single drug is calcium antagonist. When the patients are receiving at least two medications or more (41%), combined treatment is found with high frequency (75%). CONCLUSION: Changes in life style were more often applied by the subjects treated for hypertension that by the general population. The dominating place that occupies today fixed-dose combination drugs indicates a change of the therapeutic practices. When comparing with FLAHS study concerning the French metropolitan population, diuretics and calcium antagonist are more often prescribed in Guadeloupe, in witch 90% of the population is Afro-Caribbean.

[Self monitoring of blood pressure in Guadeloupe in 2005 results of the PRETRAHGUAD enquiry]. / Utilisation des appareils d'automesure tensionnelle en Guadeloupe en 2005: enquête PRETRAHGUAD.

The object of this enquiry was to estimate the number of self monitoring devices for blood pressure measurement in Guadeloupe in 2005 and to determine how they were used. The enquiry included 509 patients aged over 35 years and living in Guadeloupe meeting the inclusion criteria of PRETRAHGUAD: PREvalence et TRAitement de Hypertension en GUADeloupe. The enquiry was made by Qualistat, a survey institute. Designed as a survey, it was based on the two degree quota method. It was carried out by telephone by CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Inquiry) networked computer programming by ten operators trained by experts of the HTA-GWAD organisation. In addition to questions on socio-demographic background and biometric parameters, the operators also asked about observance of antihypertensive treatment, the ownership of a self monitoring blood pressure device and its usage. A subject who said he took a treatment validated as antihypertensive was considered to be a "treated hypertensive". The results indicate that in 2005, in Guadeloupe, 32% of the population over 35 years of age were treated hypertensives, making a total of 51,230 individuals. Forty three percent of treated hypertensives and 19% of other subjects admitted to having used a self monitoring blood pressure device. Twenty six percent of the study population owned a device. Of the estimated total of 43,220 devices in circulation, nearly half of them were wrist devices. Regular usage (at least once per month) was declared by 73% of hypertensive and 46% of other subjects. Out of the total population, the medical practitioner had spoken of self monitoring of blood pressure to his patients and had incited only 18% to carry it out. The authors conclude that, in 2005, one third of adults over 35 years of age were treated for hypertension and 43% of treated hypertensives owned a self monitoring blood pressure device. The incitation by medical practitioners to use this method of self monitoring remained modest. This technique would seem to be little used by medical practitioners although the patients have started to equip themselves with the device.