Management of hypertension by private doctors in Hong Kong

WK Chan, TS Chung, BST Lau, HT Law, AKM Yeung, CHY Wong; Hong Kong Primary Care Foundation
Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, United Christian Hospital, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong

OBJECTIVE. To investigate the management of hypertension by private doctors in Hong Kong.

DESIGN. Self-administered questionnaire survey.

SETTING. Hong Kong.

PARTICIPANTS. Private doctors from all districts in Hong Kong selected by simple random sampling from the website of “The Hong Kong Doctors Homepage” from March to June 2005.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES. Practice of blood pressure measurement and the treatment prescribed to hypertensive patients.

RESULTS. A total of 225 (46%) completed questionnaires were analysed. Only 24.4% of the respondents measured blood pressure in all new patients aged above 18 years. A total of 28.0% of doctors reported that hypertensive status was unknown in over 30% of their patients prior to their first clinic visit when it was consequently diagnosed. Calcium channel blockers (31%), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (28.5%), diuretics (27.5%), and beta-blockers (21.2%) were the most commonly prescribed antihypertensive medication. Drug efficacy was the reason cited by more than half (56.9%) of doctors for selecting a given drug. Public education about hypertension was considered insufficient by 66.2% of doctors and 32% believed that self-medication would have a very significant effect on drug compliance.

CONCLUSIONS. In private clinics, blood pressure measurement should become a routine procedure. There is a need to raise public awareness of hypertension.

Hong Kong Med J 2006;12:115-8

Key words: Hypertension; Primary health care; Private practice; Questionnaires