Large Variation in Adherence to Diagnostic Guidelines in Hypertension Management in Swedish Primary Healthcare.

ABSTRACT: High blood pressure (BP) is a frequent cause for visits to primary healthcare centers (PHCCs) in Sweden. Guidelines on methods for BP measurements for diagnosis of hypertension have recently been updated. We aimed to study adherence to diagnostic guidelines in hypertension management and evaluate whether adherence to guidelines was related to organizational or sociodemographic characteristics. Interviews with representatives from 76 randomly selected PHCCs from eight regions in Sweden were conducted. PHCCs' use of 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM), home BP monitoring (HBPM) and BP measurements in both arms for the diagnosis of hypertension were chosen as proxy markers for adherence to diagnostic guidelines. An adherence index was created as a composite score of these diagnostic methods.

SUBMITTER: Hellgren M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12185900 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature