Hypertensive patients in a general practice setting: comparative analysis between controlled and uncontrolled hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To study the differences between controlled and uncontrolled hypertensive patients. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study of the hypertensive population on the lists of three general practitioners in the district of Coimbra in central Portugal in 2013, with a margin of error of 6% and 95% confidence interval in each sample, organized in ascending order of health care user numbers. Data were gathered electronically by the investigators after approval by the Regional Health Authority's ethics committee. RESULTS: A sample of 201 individuals was studied, of whom 104 (51.7%) were male and 86 (42.8%) were aged under 65 (p=0.127 for gender and age-group). Hypertension was controlled in 130 (64.7%). We found significant differences in target organ damage, more frequent in those with controlled hypertension (33.1% vs. 19.7%, p=0.031), in hypertension control, better in those taking at least one anti-hypertensive drug at night (56.9% vs. 29.6%, p<0.001), and in prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, more frequent in those with uncontrolled hypertension (11.3% vs. 3.8%, p=0.043). CONCLUSION: Hypertension control is significantly associated with target organ damage, taking at least one anti-hypertensive drug at night and not taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs simultaneously.

[Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs prescription in General Practice setting: 435 does informatics have any influence?]. / Prescrição de anti-inflamatórios não esteróides no ambiente de Medicina Geral e Familiar: a informática influencia?

AIMS: In the ambulatory setting of General Practice/Family Medicine, a retrospective, observational study was carried out to ascertain variation on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs prescription, in an informatics environment where name (brand or chemical), size of package, price and the existence of generic medicines is available. METHODS: Observational transversal study conducted in February 2008 with no prescription study warning given to the doctors in the study period. The differences in volume prescription in Daily Defined Dose (DDD) per registered patient in the middle of 2006 and 2007 two semesters, as well as the value of prescription measured by the price per registered patient were calculated and medicines were studied by the third level of the Portuguese medicines classification very similar to the ATC. The price per DDD was calculated as well. RESULTS: DDD volume and value declined throughout the study comparing entire years or semesters being "Oxicans" the only exception. Even though, the net volume and value decreased between 2006 and 2007 comparing both semesters of 2006 and of 2007. Price per DDD decreased for all medicines except for oxicans with an increase from the first to the second semesters of 2007. CONCLUSIONS: Informatics environment influences the prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, reducing the number of DDD and the price per registered patient.