Government-Expert Joint Intervention with Treatment Algorithm and Improved Hypertension Management and Reduced Stroke Mortality in a Primary-Care Setting

Abstract

Hypertension management is suboptimal in the primary-care setting of developing countries, where the burden of both hypertension and cardiovascular disease is huge. Therefore, we conducted a government-expert joint intervention in a resource-constrained primary setting of Emin, China, between 2014 and 2016, to improve hypertension management and reduce hypertension-related hospitalization and mortality. Primary-care providers were trained on treatment algorithm and physicians for specialized management. Public education was delivered by various ways including door-to-door screening. Program effectiveness was evaluated using screening data by comparing hypertension awareness, treatment, and control rates and by comparing hypertension-related hospitalization and total cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke mortality at each phase. As results, 313 primary-health providers were trained to use the algorithm and 3 physicians attended specialist training. 1/3 of locals (49490 of 133376) were screened. Compared to the early phase, hypertension awareness improved by 9.3% (58% vs. 64%), treatment by 11.4% (39% vs. 44%), and control rates by 33% (10% vs. 15%). The proportion of case/all-cause hospitalization was reduced by 35% (4.02% vs. 2.60%) for CVD and by 17% (3.72% vs. 3.10%) for stroke. The proportion of stroke/all-cause death was reduced by 46% (21.9% in 2011-2013 vs. 15.0% in 2014-2016). At the control area, the proportion of case/all-cause mortality showed no reduction. In conclusion, government-expert joint intervention with introducing treatment algorithm may improve hypertension control and decrease related hospitalization and stroke mortality in underresourced settings.

Figure 1

Hypertension treatment algorithm.