Characteristics Associated with Uncontrolled Blood Pressure Among Portuguese Primary Care Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

Introduction: Determine whether socio-demographic, habits and risk factors are associated with a better tensional control in type 2 diabetes in primary care patients in order to identify a specific target population for compensatory interventions improving diabetes control and reducing its morbi-mortality.
Material and Methods: Cross-sectional study in primary care. Randomized type 2 diabetes patient data collection by their volunteer family doctors, proportionally stratified from the 5 Portuguese continental regions. Variables: blood pressure, age, gender, education, diabetes duration, HbA1c, smoking habits, weight, waist circumference, physical activity and adherence to medication. Bivariate and logistic regression analysis to evaluate each measured variable’s independent association with uncontrolled blood pressure (≥ 140/90).
Results: 709 patients were included in the study, 60.2% men, mean age 66.12 ± 10.47 years. In logistic regression analysis, the factors independently associated to uncontrolled BP were lower education (p = 0.014), shorter diabetes duration (p = 0.002), higher waist circumference (p < 0.001), higher pulse pressure (p < 0.001), higher physical activity level (p = 0.043) and being a smoker (p < 0.001).
Discussion: The main limitations are the fact that the sample was not totaly random and included only primary care patients, a possible inter-observer bias and being a cross-sectional study, thus not providing information on temporal relation or causality.
Conclusion: The sub-group of people with diabetes identified to have worse tensional control should have a different and more intensive approach in primary care. We recommend further longitudinal and population based confirmatory research.