[Family physicians and scientific information. Survey on hypertension and diuretics].

In order to analyse the quality of scientific communication in the field of hypertension, we have conducted a survey among French physicians. The topics of the questions were partly related to hypertension and partly to diuretics; 3,600 questions forms have been mailed: 610 answers were returned (17%). The results show that most of physicians are unsufficiently informed about primary prevention therapeutical trials and recommendations. Moreover, whereas all physicians questionned (97%) consider that diuretics constitute a current therapeutic approach, this class remains largely unknown concerning its mechanisms, efficacy and tolerance dose relationships. As 80% of general practitioners having participated to this survey wish to be more informed on recent data in this field, these results emphasize the necessity of adapting information to the need of practitioners, raise questions concerning the information supports, the role of scientific committees in the medical information and the necessity to complete clinical research by studies which results may be rapidly applicable in clinical practice.