Improvement of hypertension management by structured physician education and feedback system: cluster randomized trial.

TY - JOUR

T1 - Improvement of hypertension management by structured physician education and feedback system: cluster randomized trial.

AU - Lüders, Stefan

AU - Schrader, Joachim

AU - Schmieder, Roland E

AU - Smolka, Wenefrieda

AU - Wegscheider, Karl

AU - Bestehorn, Kurt

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - INTRODUCTION: We aimed to assess whether hypertension management with a structured physician information program and a feedback system leads to improved blood pressure (BP) control and cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: Cluster randomized (3 : 1), open, monitored, multicenter trial in Germany. Primary care-based physicians in the information group (IG) received detailed training on hypertension guidelines, feedback on target-level attainment, and a reminder to intensify treatment after each patient visit, whereas the observation/control group (CG) did not receive any such measures. A three-level mixed model was developed. Time-independent level differences between groups, group-independent changes, and nonparallel group-specific changes over time were tested. RESULTS: A total of 15 041 (78.1%) hypertensive patients were in the IG and 4213 (21.9%) in the CG. By 1-year follow-up, 82.9% of patients in the IG and 81.5% in the CG remained in the study. The guideline-oriented BP target was attained by 56.8% in the IG and 52.5% in the CG (+4.3%, P = 0.03), whereas the individual BP target was attained by 57.0% in the IG and 51% in the CG (P = NS). BP control in the IG was achieved 2 months earlier on average. Clinical inertia, defined as the absence of medication changes, despite noncontrol of BP, occurred significantly less often in the IG group. One-year cardiovascular outcomes did not differ between groups. CONCLUSION: The delivery of systematic information in connection with a feedback system reduces clinical inertia and improves guideline adherence. Although compared with earlier studies, the hypertension control rates obtained are higher, there is still considerable room for improvement.

AB - INTRODUCTION: We aimed to assess whether hypertension management with a structured physician information program and a feedback system leads to improved blood pressure (BP) control and cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: Cluster randomized (3 : 1), open, monitored, multicenter trial in Germany. Primary care-based physicians in the information group (IG) received detailed training on hypertension guidelines, feedback on target-level attainment, and a reminder to intensify treatment after each patient visit, whereas the observation/control group (CG) did not receive any such measures. A three-level mixed model was developed. Time-independent level differences between groups, group-independent changes, and nonparallel group-specific changes over time were tested. RESULTS: A total of 15 041 (78.1%) hypertensive patients were in the IG and 4213 (21.9%) in the CG. By 1-year follow-up, 82.9% of patients in the IG and 81.5% in the CG remained in the study. The guideline-oriented BP target was attained by 56.8% in the IG and 52.5% in the CG (+4.3%, P = 0.03), whereas the individual BP target was attained by 57.0% in the IG and 51% in the CG (P = NS). BP control in the IG was achieved 2 months earlier on average. Clinical inertia, defined as the absence of medication changes, despite noncontrol of BP, occurred significantly less often in the IG group. One-year cardiovascular outcomes did not differ between groups. CONCLUSION: The delivery of systematic information in connection with a feedback system reduces clinical inertia and improves guideline adherence. Although compared with earlier studies, the hypertension control rates obtained are higher, there is still considerable room for improvement.

M3 - SCORING: Zeitschriftenaufsatz

JO - EUR J PREV CARDIOL

JF - EUR J PREV CARDIOL

SN - 2047-4873

ER -