[Stratification and degree of control of cardiovascular risk factors in hypertensive Spanish population. Results of the DICOPRESS study].

Background And Objective: Hypertension, together with other contributing risk factors, is a major risk for cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to assess the cardiovascular risk in the Spanish hypertensive population according to the 2003 European Society of Hypertension-European Society of Cardiology (ESH/ESC) guidelines criteria and to determine the control rate of the main cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF).

Patients And Method: Observational and transversal study including 22,639 patients with essential hypertension, who have been admitted to primary care units and hypertension units in Spain.

Results: Dyslipemia (52.1%), diabetes (36.6%) and smoking (22.3%) were the most prevalent CVRF. Cardiovascular risk stratification according to the ESH/ESC guidelines showed that more than 70% patients were considered at high added risk (36.9%) or at very high added risk (35.8%), whereas only 7.6% were classified in the low-risk stratum. Blood pressure was the worst controlled risk factor among hypertensive patients (80.6%). Total cholesterol was also poorly controlled in a high percentage of the analyzed population (66.4%). Diabetes was the best predictor of uncontrolled blood pressure with an odds ratio of 5.25 (99% confidence interval, 4.57-6.06).

Conclusions: Coexistence of several cardiovascular risk factors, as well as the presence of target organ damage and associated cardiovascular conditions in the Spanish hypertensive population, increase the vascular risk, complicate the control in the hypertensive population and show the convenience of using ESH/ESC 2003 guidelines to estimate the cardiovascular risk.