Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim of this survey was to evaluate attitudes and preferences for the clinical management of hypertension and hypertension-related cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) in Italy.
METHODS: A predefined 16-item survey questionnaire was anonymously administered to a large community sample of general practitioners (GPs), trained by specialized physicians (SPs), who have been included in an educational program between January and November 2015.
RESULTS: A total of 591 physicians, among whom 48 (8%) training SPs and 543 (92%) trained GPs, provided 12,258 valid answers to the survey questionnaire. Left ventricular hypertrophy was considered the most frequent marker of hypertension-related organ damage, whereas atrial fibrillation and carotid atherosclerosis were considered relatively not frequent (10-20%). The most appropriate blood pressure (BP) targets to be achieved in hypertensive patients with CVD were <140/90 mmHg for SPs and <135/85 mmHg for GPs. To achieve these goals, ACE inhibitors were considered the most effective strategies by GPs, whereas SPs expressed a preference for ARBs, both in monotherapies and in combination therapies with beta-blockers.
CONCLUSIONS: This survey demonstrates that Italian physicians considered left ventricular hypertrophy frequently associated to CVD and that drugs inhibiting the renin-angiotensin system the most appropriate therapy to manage hypertension and hypertension-related CVD.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 10 |
Journal | Clinical Hypertension |
Volume | 23 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - May 15 2017 |
Keywords
- Journal Article