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Hypertension Control in Ambulatory Care Patients with Diabetes
Controlling hypertension is important for people with diabetes, yet a majority of patients studied in diverse primary care settings do not have their blood pressure under control, in accordance with the American Diabetes Association recommended level of 130/80 mm Hg.
Using a national sample of 1,313 patients ages 30 and older diagnosed with both type 2 diabetes and hypertension, this study evaluated a broad cross section of patients in various care settings.
Key Findings:
- A large proportion of the study population continues to have inadequately controlled levels of blood pressure.
- Approximately 28.7 percent of the patients achieved blood pressure control at the recommended level of 130/80 mm Hg, while 57.0 percent of patients achieved minimal control at the level of 140/90 mm Hg.
- Those patients receiving care at academic medical centers had a higher probability of hypertension control than those treated at other health care locations.
This study shows that inadequate hypertension control is common among people with diabetes in all types of health care settings and that care-setting specific policies may prove useful for improving blood pressure control. While the type of clinical care is known to affect the outcome of patients reaching their goal, further research is warranted.