[Do we adequately use the sphygmomanometer for improving the prevention of arterial hypertension in primary care?].

OBJECTIVE

To assess the monitoring of arterial pressure (AP) in non-hypertensive patients at a health centre and to compare the results of two types of consultations.

DESIGN

A retrospective observation study over 5 years.

SETTING

Urban health care.

PATIENTS

After the exclusion of hypertensive patients, 337 medical records, which were active over the period under assessment, were chosen by systematic sampling of the adult population. Consultation types were: CT1 (stable staff, MIR training, habitual development of the PAPPS); CT2 (staff not stable, training uneven, without systematic development of the PAPPS). Records were considered indicated when they contained symptoms suggestive of AHT or when AP had been measured because the patients had been included in a health programme; the rest of the records were considered not indicated. Data were analysed using the Chi-squared test.

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

152 of the 337 records belonged to CT1 and 185 to CT2. In 151 records there was no measurement of AP: 50 belonging to CT1 and 101 to CT2. 508 measurements of AP were performed, 274 in CT1 and 234 in CT2. Of the 151 cases where measurements were not indicated (64 in CT1 and 87 in CT2.

CONCLUSIONS

The percentage of patients without any monitoring is high (44.8%), similar to the percentage of AP measurements not indicated, which would imply the need to rationalise use of the sphygmomanometer in the consulting-room. CT1 consultations seem to have the most rational measurements of AP.