Comparison of the Treatment Period and Individual Properties of Patients with Hypertension Followed Up in the Two Cottage Hospitals from the Different Social Cultural Subgroups

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a major risk factor and also a component of metabolic syndrome. Its prevalence is closely related with social-cultural levels of a society. In this study we aimed to evaluate the blood pressure control in populations from lower (LSC) and higher social-cultural (HSC) subgroups of our society. METHOD: 53 and 36 hypertensive patients from societies with high and low social-cultural level, respectively. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressures (DBP), duration of the treatment, education and income levels of patients were recorded and analyzed. Independent samples t test and Pearson s Chi-Square test were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Age (51,08±5,6 vs 55,5±5,9 <0,05), SBP (128,8±7,8 vs 142,8±15,11 <0,05), and DBP (81,6±6,3 vs 88,01±6,9, <0,05) were found significantly increased in LSC. Blood pressure was not under control in LSC. The education and income level were statistically lower in the patients with high blood pressures. Also, it was noticed that the onset of hypertension treatment was significantly delayed in LSC when compared to the HSC. CONCLUSION: Control of blood pressure could not be achieved by the current hypertension drug treatment in the patients living in lower social-cultural subgroup of our society. Hypertension should be more effectively treated and monitored in the patients living in rural areas in order to reduce the prevalence of stroke and cardiovascular disease. It should be one of the health policies in preventive health care. [TAF Prev Med Bull. 2008; 7(4): 333-338]