Management of hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia in primary care in the Netherlands

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Abstract
Objective: Screening, treatment and monitoring guidelines for hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia have been developed to assist physicians in providing evidence-based health care. We conducted a retrospective study to assess the management of patients with these single or combined conditions.Research design and methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted using data from the Integrated Primary Care Information (IPCI) project based in the Netherlands. Management of hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia was assessed from 2000–2003 by measuring the numbers of patients screened for these conditions, treated pharmacologically and monitored for treatment success.Results: Approximately 11%, 3% and 10% of participants were eligible for screening for hypertension alone, hypercholesterolaemia alone and both conditions, respectively. Blood pressure screening was high in patients eligible for both blood pressure and cholesterol screening (> 86%), whereas cholesterol screening was low (< 56%). ...