Standards for the uniform reporting of hypertension in adults using population survey data: recommendations from the World Hypertension League Expert Committee.

Surveillance and monitoring of cardiovascular risk factors including raised blood pressure are critical to informing efforts to prevent and control cardiovascular disease. Yet, many countries lack the capacity for adequate national surveillance. Furthermore, hypertension indicators are often reported in different ways, which hampers the ability to compare and assess progress.

Validity of self-reported blood pressure control in people with hypertension attending a primary care center.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the validity of self-reported blood pressure control and medication use in people with hypertension, with and without diabetes.

Methods: In a sample of 161 patients with hypertension in a family health team in Ontario, we applied questions from the 2009 Survey on Living with Chronic Disease in Canada Hypertension Component and compared responses against objectively measured and chart-abstracted clinical indicators. Objective blood pressure control was defined as a blood pressure of less than 130/80 mmHg and less than 140/90 mmHg for individuals with and without diabetes, respectively.

Health behaviors for hypertension management in people with and without coexisting diabetes.

Since blood pressure (BP) control is less often achieved by individuals with diabetes, the authors sought to determine whether receipt of and adherence to health behavior advice for hypertension control differs between people with and without diabetes, using data from the 2009 Survey on Living With Chronic Diseases in Canada. Individuals with coexisting diabetes were more likely to report receiving advice to control/lose weight (81% vs 66%), be physically active (79% vs 68%), limit alcohol consumption (78% vs 55%), and modify diet (70% vs 61%) but not limit dietary salt (65% vs 64%) compared with individuals with hypertension alone (n=4.965).

Determinants of lifestyle behavior in type 2 diabetes: results of the 2011 cross-sectional survey on living with chronic diseases in Canada.

Background: Lifestyle behavior modification is an essential component of self-management of type 2 diabetes. We evaluated the prevalence of engagement in lifestyle behaviors for management of the disease, as well as the impact of healthcare professional support on these behaviors.

Methods: Self-reported data were available from 2682 adult respondents, age 20 years or older, to the 2011 Survey on Living with Chronic Diseases in Canada's diabetes component.

Antihypertensive medication use, adherence, stops, and starts in Canadians with hypertension.

Background: Some of the greatest barriers to achieving blood pressure control are perceived to be failure to prescribe antihypertensive medication and lack of adherence to medication prescriptions.

Methods: Self-reported data from 6017 Canadians with diagnosed hypertension who responded to the 2008 Canadian Community Health Survey and the 2009 Survey on Living with Chronic Diseases in Canada were examined.

Results: The majority (82%) of individuals with diagnosed hypertension reported using antihypertensive medications.

Factors associated with lack of awareness and uncontrolled high blood pressure among Canadian adults with hypertension.

Background: Approximately 17% of Canadians with high blood pressure were unaware of their condition, and of Canadians aware of having the condition, approximately 1 in 5 have uncontrolled high blood pressure despite high rates of pharmacotherapy. The objectives of the current study are to estimate the prevalence of resistant hypertension and examine factors associated with (1) lack of awareness and (2) uncontrolled hypertension despite pharmacotherapy.

Methods: Using the 2007-2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey (N = 3473, aged 20-79 years) and logistic regression, we quantified relationships between characteristics and (1) presence of hypertension, (2) lack of awareness (among those with hypertension), and (3) uncontrolled high blood pressure (among those treated for hypertension).

Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension among Canadian adults with diabetes, 2007 to 2009.

Background: Prior national surveys suggested that treatment and control of hypertension were poor in individuals with diabetes. Using measured blood pressures, we estimated prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension between 2007 and 2009 among Canadians with diabetes and sought to determine whether a treatment gap still exists for individuals with diabetes.

Methods: Using data from cycle 1 of the Canadian Health Measures Survey, estimates of hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control were described and compared between individuals with and without self-reported diabetes.

Prevalence of, and barriers to, preventive lifestyle behaviors in hypertension (from a national survey of Canadians with hypertension).

Patients with hypertension are advised to lower their blood pressure to <140/90 mm Hg through sustained lifestyle modification and/or pharmacotherapy. To describe the use of lifestyle changes for blood pressure control and to identify the barriers to these behaviors, the data from 6,142 Canadians with hypertension who responded to the 2009 Survey on Living With Chronic Diseases in Canada were analyzed. Most Canadians with diagnosed hypertension reported limiting salt consumption (89%), having changed the types of food they eat (89%), engaging in physical activity (80%), trying to control or lose weight if overweight (77%), quitting smoking if currently smoking (78%), and reducing alcohol intake if currently drinking more than the recommended levels (57%) at least some of the time to control their blood pressure.

Health behaviour advice from health professionals to Canadian adults with hypertension: results from a national survey.

Background: Health professionals play an important role in providing health information to patients. The objectives of this study were to examine the type of advice that Canadians with hypertension recall receiving from health professionals to manage their condition, and to assess if there is an association between health behaviour advice provided by health professionals and self-reported engagement in health behaviour modification.

Methods: Respondents of the 2009 Survey on Living with Chronic Diseases in Canada (N = 6142) were asked about sociodemographic characteristics, health care utilization, and health behaviour modification to control hypertension.