Objective
To identify the impact of the HEARTS initiative on patients with high blood pressure treated in a Colombian hospital.
Methods
Quasi-experimental, retrospective study between 2017 and 2019 with hypertensive patients over 18 years of age included in the HEARTS strategy and treated at the Santa Mónica Hospital in the municipality of Dosquebradas, department of Risaralda. The unit of analysis was medical history. Blood pressure targets (defined in the HEARTS initiative as a patient with systolic blood pressure <140 mmHg and diastolic pressure <90 mmHg) were assessed at the time of admission to the HEARTS program and one year later. Sociodemographic, pharmacological, clinical, and blood pressure targets were included, as was compliance with the recommendations of the initiative. Descriptive analysis was performed, and binary logistic regression was applied (p <0.05).
Results
A total of 372 patients were studied, of whom 262 were women (70.4%). The mean age was 66.3 ± 12.2 years. In the first consultation, 285 patients (76.6%) presented blood pressure figures within the target range; in the second consultation this was achieved by 84.1% of patients (n=313, mean difference: 7.5%, 95% CI: 1.8 to 13.1; p=0.005). After implementation of the HEARTS initiative, 77.4% of patients (n=288) continued with the initial treatment. Following HEARTS recommendations increases the likelihood of being in the target range (p=0.033; OR= 2,688; CI= 1.081 - 6.684).
Conclusions
Implementation of the HEARTS initiative favorably impacted blood pressure figures in patients with hypertension and decreased cardiovascular risk.