An evaluation of the quality of medical care for hypertensive patients. A review of the record of explicit criteria and standards in the clinics of the District of Lisbon.

Abstract

Cardiovascular and in particular cerebrovascular diseases are the most significant in mortality in Portugal, as well as in Lisbon. Arterial hypertension is the highest and most prevalent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, the most important predictor of life span and apparently easy to control. A descriptive study has been made through observation of the clinical procedures, from the record of the explicit normative criteria used in identified hypertensive people aged between forty five and sixty four years. From the analysis of the results we may confirm that 28% of the studied hypertensive individuals had a complete diagnostical process, 48% has a complete following process and 41% had controlled arterial hypertension. The possible justifications for these values are the adherence of the ill individuals to vigilance, the undervalue of risk factors by health professionals or even the fact that the family doctor, due to his deep knowledge of the individual, neglects the records of the observations already made.