[Treatment of hypertension in Guadeloupe (FWI) in 2005: Pretrahguad study].

Objectives: To estimate life style and drug therapy for treatment of hypertension in Guadeloupe (FWI) in 2005, and to compare the data with those obtained in a similar study realised in France metropolitan population in 2004.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of a sample of 509 subjects selected as being representative of the Guadeloupe population for age (35 years and above), gender, socioeconomic status, and place of living. Subjects who declare to take an antihypertensive medication were classified as treated hypertensive patients. A questionnaire evaluating changes in life style during the last year (physical activities, quality of food consumption, smoking, and alcohol habits) was administered by phone.

Results: In 2005, 32% of the population above the age of 35 years was treated for hypertension, corresponding to an estimate of 51,230 subjects. Hypertensive subjects experienced: a weight loss of more than 3 kg in 29 vs 25% in the general population, an increased in fruits and vegetables consumption in 29 vs 46%, a decreased in cheese (11 vs 8%), pork-butchery (23 vs 16%) and alcohol consumption (10 vs 6%). The percentage of subjects who increased their physical activities was not different in the two groups (24 vs 25%). We observed a larger use of diuretics and ACE-I/ARBs prescribed as combined drugs. The most frequent drug prescribed as single drug is calcium antagonist. When the patients are receiving at least two medications or more (41%), combined treatment is found with high frequency (75%).

Conclusion: Changes in life style were more often applied by the subjects treated for hypertension that by the general population. The dominating place that occupies today fixed-dose combination drugs indicates a change of the therapeutic practices. When comparing with FLAHS study concerning the French metropolitan population, diuretics and calcium antagonist are more often prescribed in Guadeloupe, in witch 90% of the population is Afro-Caribbean.