Steven I D, Wilson D H, Wakefield M A, Beilby J, Coffey G A, Esterman A J, Golding A P, Graham N M, Litt J C, Rohrsheim R A
Research and Health Promotion Unit, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Stepney.
Med J Aust. 1992 May 4;156(9):641-4.
To investigate prescribing habits, educational approaches and perceived needs of general practitioners in the drug treatment of hypertension.
DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Of 156 randomly selected South Australian general practitioners 132 responded to a questionnaire survey.
Diuretics are the most commonly chosen drug for the initial management of uncomplicated moderate hypertension. Equivalent patients aged 45, 60 and 75 years would be prescribed a diuretic as drug of first choice in 41%, 55% and 68% of cases respectively. Despite this, there are wide differences in the choice of initial therapy between individual practitioners. These differences can have a substantial cost impact, given that in Australia the cost of diuretic therapy for one month can be as low as $1.97 compared with $34.08 for standard angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor therapy for one month. There was also a perceived need, and demand, for patient education materials to assist practitioners in the drug treatment of hypertension.
