Use of antihypertensive medications and diagnostic tests among privately insured adolescents and young adults with primary versus secondary hypertension.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To compare the use of antihypertensive medications and diagnostic tests among adolescents and young adults with primary versus secondary hypertension.

Methods

We conducted retrospective cohort analysis of claims data for adolescents and young adults (12-21 years of age) with ≥3 years of insurance coverage (≥11 months/year) in a large private managed care plan during 2003-2009 with diagnosis of primary hypertension or secondary hypertension. We examined their use of antihypertensive medications and identified demographic characteristics and the presence of obesity-related comorbidities. For the subset receiving antihypertensive medications, we examined their diagnostic test use (echocardiograms, renal ultrasounds, and electrocardiograms).

Results

The study samp

SUBMITTER: Yoon EY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4065836 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature