Prescribing Patterns of Antihypertensive Drugs in Uncomplicated Hypertension

NCT06517134 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 24-01
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 3,325,032
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Hypertension incurs substantial cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, particularly in primary prevention settings. General practitioners (GPs) play a pivotal role in the management of hypertension in primary care, yet variations exist among GPs. The determinants shaping GPs' antihypertensive medication (AD) prescription patterns in the setting of hypertension remain ambiguous. This investigation sought to elucidate how GPs' characteristics and professional activities influence AD prescriptions. A cross-sectional study utilizing a sample of 2,165 GPs was conducted in Normandy, France, in 2019. The ratio of AD prescriptions to overall prescription volume was computed for each practitioner. GPs were classified as 'low' or 'high' AD prescribers based on the median of this ratio. The ratio was examined in relation to GPs' demographic and professional variables such as age, gender, practice setting, years of experience, consultation frequency, the demographics and socioeconomic status of their patient panels, and prevalence of chronic conditions in patients. These associations were explored using both univariate and multivariate analyses.

Conditions

Hypertension,Essential; Cardiovascular Diseases

Keywords

hypertension; prescriptions; primary care

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• GP demographics

  age and gender of GPs, the urban or rural classification of the practice location (based on the GP's clinic postal code and DATASANTE tables from the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies, INSEE), and the number of years in practice.

  1 year

• medical practice activities

  frequency of home visits and consultations, the total number of registered patients, the average number of visits or consultations per patient, the average patient age, the number of very low-income patients, and the prevalence of registered chronic diseases (notably diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases).

  1 year

Study Arms (2)

hypertensive subjects

Drug: Antihypertensive Agents

non-hypertensive subjects

Interventions

Antihypertensive Agents DRUG

use of antihypertensive drugs

hypertensive subjects

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 99 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The participant pool for this study comprised GP characteristics and prescription practices within the Normandy region in northwestern France during the course of 2019. With a resident population of 3,325,032 as of January 1, 2019, and a total of 2,165 registered GPs, the study was well-situated to offer a representative analysis. In order to focus on conventional full-time primary GP care, practitioners whose primary professional focus included specialties such as osteopathy, acupuncture, homeopathy, or nutrition were excluded. Furthermore, GPs with fewer than 300 annual consultations/visits (less than one per day), fewer than 2,000 annual drug prescriptions, no patients with any of the 30 chronic diseases that qualify for no-charge treatment under French law, or solely very low-income patients (eligible for no-charge GP visits as defined by French legislation) were also excluded.

You may qualify if:

• All patients who had at least one visit to their GP in 2019 were included, but minors were omitted.

You may not qualify if:

• minors

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Hospital, Caen: lead

Study Sites (1)

Xavier Humbert

Caen, 14200, France

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Essential Hypertension; Cardiovascular Diseases; Hypertension

Interventions

Antihypertensive Agents

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Vascular Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Cardiovascular Agents; Therapeutic Uses; Pharmacologic Actions; Chemical Actions and Uses

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant professor of general practice

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 19, 2024
• First Posted: July 24, 2024
• Study Start: January 1, 2019
• Primary Completion: August 12, 2022
• Study Completion: June 5, 2024
• Last Updated: July 25, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

FR (1)