Drug treatment of high blood pressure in the community--experience in eastern Finland.

The effects of antihypertensive drug therapy were assessed in 8,459 patients (2,801 men and 5,658 women) from the hypertension register of the North Karelia Project in 1978-1979. Fifty-two per cent of the men and 56% of the women were taking one drug only. The most common drugs used were diuretics and beta-blockers. Women were on diuretics more often than men, but beta-blockers were more common in men. The effect of the treatment was assessed in terms of the BP means and percentage of patients whose DBP was below 100 mmHg. BP was controlled better in women than men. The best BP control was obtained in groups of patients who were on a single drug. Adequate BP control was achieved in 71% of men and 83% of women on diuretics, in 75% of men and 83% of women on beta-blockers, in 85% of both sexes on fixed combinations of a diuretic + reserpine + vasodilator, and 79% of men and 89% of women on a diuretic + reserpine. Fixed combinations containing only low doses of each drug are a good alternative for some patients.