Clinical Management of Patients with Hypertension and High Cardiovascular Risk : Main Results of an Italian Survey on Blood Pressure Control.

Hypertension management and control still represents a major clinical challenge for physicians, as well as for National Health Care Systems, since high blood pressure (BP) levels in treated uncontrolled outpatients are related to a persistently increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) events. The Italian Society of Hypertension (SIIA) has prompted several educational interventions for improving BP control in Italy. To evaluate clinical attitudes and preferences of large community sample of both specialized physicians and general practitioners, included in an educational program, endorsed by SIIA and aimed at improving interventions for achieving better BP control in Italy. A predefined questionnaire, which included a main body with 17 questions and 15 specific items (3-4 questions for each item), was anonymously administered to a large community sample of physicians who have practice in managing outpatients with hypertension and high CV risk profile. Both specialized physicians and general practitioners, distributed throughout the whole Italian territory, have been included in this educational program. Data were reported into a computerised spreadsheet and centrally analysed. Confidentiality of the data were guaranteed during each phase of the study. From a total of 64 questions, 557 physicians (478 male, mean age 54.2 ± 7.1 years, average age of medical activity 28.0 ± 8.1 years), among which 261 (46.9 %) specialised physicians and 296 (53.1 %) general practitioners, provided 60,713 answers to the survey questionnaire. Physicians devote time and effort for achieving the recommended BP targets (<140/90 and