Abstract
OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence, treatment, control, and awareness of hypertension in patients with first-ever stroke and in controls sampled from the same primary care physician's population register.
METHODS
A population-based case-control study was conducted in East Lancashire, England, using cases identified from the stroke register in 1994-1995. Information on blood pressure (BP) and other predefined factors was extracted from the practice medical records. Postal questionnaires were used for information on patients' awareness of hypertension.
RESULTS
A total of 267 stroke cases and 534 controls were included. Sixty-one percent of cases and 43% of controls had BP >= 160/95 mm Hg on >= 2 occasions within 3 months or received antihypertensives. High proportions of cases (82%) and controls (85%) were on treatment. There was a continuous relationship between the risk of stroke and levels of BP control. Of 73 cases and 135 controls who were hypertensive and responded to the postal questionnaire, 56 and 83%, respectively, were aware of hypertension (P<0.01).
CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of hypertension was high among stroke patients. In those treated, <30% of patients had their BP adequately controlled to <140/90 mm Hg. Patient awareness of previous hypertension or high BP was very poor and attention needs to be paid to patient education.
Collapse