Mortality in hypertensive patients in Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona (Spain).

A retrospective cohort study was carried out on 729 hypertensive patients (male and female 40 years and older) in Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona, Spain) to assess possible differences between the mortality of this group of hypertensives and the general population of the same area matched by age and sex. Patient mortality was assessed during a six year period, resulting in a mean follow-up of 2.6 years at the end of the study. The results reflect an increased risk of dying among hypertensives compared with the general population, with standardised mortality ratio by age and sex of 1.88 (95% confidence interval 1.21-2.44). Cardiovascular mortality was significantly higher for males, while noncardiovascular mortality was significantly higher for females. The study also shows that the presence of smoking habit, diabetes or hyperglycaemia, uncontrolled hypertension and age > or = 60 years can increase the risk of dying among hypertensive patients. Although a higher level of BP control is achieved in hypertension hospital clinics than in the primary health care system, the study shows that hypertensives have an excess of mortality than expected considering their own general population by age and sex.