Physicians’ Perceptions and Adherence to Guidelines for the Management of Hypertension: A National, Multicentre, Prospective Study
Table 2
Baseline characteristics of the patients.
Total
Cardiologists
Internists
GPs
value
Age (years)†
55.6 (12.7)
54.3 (13.5)
56.3 (11.1)
57.5 (11.9)*
0.018
SBP (mmHg)†
146.8 (23.4)
149.5 (23.0)
143.6 (22.9)
143.7 (24.0)*
0.006
DBP (mmHg)†
88.7 (12.2)
89.3 (11.9)
87.8 (12.2)
88.1 (12.9)
0.363
Body mass index (kg/m2)†
29.6 (6.2)
29.3 (5.9)
30.6 (6.6)
29.7 (6.3)
0.174
Waist circumference (cm)†
100.5 (16.9)
99.8 (14.1)
100.8 (23.3)
101.9 (16.6)
0.510
Total cholesterol†
231.7 (50.1)
232.1 (48.9)
233.5 (54.2)
229.7 (49.7)
0.806
LDL†
148.1 (43.6)
148.2 (44.1)
149.0 (46.6)
147.3 (40.7)
0.951
HDL†
50.8 (23.7)
52.8 (29.8)
47.7 (13.5)
49.0 (13.2)
0.071
Triglycerides†
166.1 (92.9)
165.0 (88.0)
169.0 (105.4)
166.4 (93.8)
0.927
Glucose†
109.2 (38.0)
107.8 (35.8)¶
119.5 (48.7)
105.2 (32.7)¶
0.004
Newly diagnosed (%)
338 (51.7%)
180 (51.1%)
63 (52.5%)
95 (52.2%)
0.954
Educational level (%)
None/primary
199 (30.7%)
87 (25.1%)
41 (34.5%)
71 (39.0%)
Secondary
252 (38.9%)
137 (39.5%)
43 (36.1%)
72 (39.6%)
0.003
Tertiary
197 (30.4%)
123 (35.4%)
35 (29.4%)
39 (21.4%)
Smoking (%)
Never
350 (54.4%)
198 (57.4%)
57 (47.9%)
95 (53.1%)
Past
152 (23.6%)
68 (19.7%)
32 (26.9%)
52 (29.1%)
0.071
Current
141 (21.9%)
79 (22.9)
30 (25.2%)
32 (17.9%)
Physical exercise (%)
Never
267 (41.3%)
143 (41.2%)
56 (47.9%)
68 (37.4%)
1-2 times per week
200 (31.0%)
105 (30.3%)
29 (24.8%)
66 (36.3%)
0.262
≥3 times per week
179 (27.7%)
99 (28.5%)
32 (27.4%)
48 (26.4%)
Alcohol consumption (%)
None
337 (52.7%)
172 (49.9%)
76 (64.4%)
89 (50.3%)
<1 glass/day
199 (31.1%)
112 (32.5%)
31 (26.3%)
56 (31.6%)
0.057
>1 glass/day
104 (16.3%)
61 (17.7%)
11 (9.3%)
32 (18.1%)
Data are presented as mean (standard deviation).
*
for comparison with cardiologists taking into account the Bonferroni correction. ¶ for comparison with GPs taking into account the Bonferroni correction.
