A population-based survey of drug treatment efficacy by the french national committee for the control of arterial hypertension

To assess the adequacy of antihypertensive treatment in the French population, a survey was conducted from October 1990 to April 1991 in five French cities during sales exhibitions. A total of 7107 individuals visited the stand of the French National Committee to have their blood pressure (BP) measured. Among them, 1289 were treated hypertensive subjects fully aware of their treatment. The efficacy of antihypertensive treatment was assessed in this population. Among those hypertensive treated subjects 35 to 65 years old, 60% had a BP < 160/95 mm Hg and 27% < 140/90 mm Hg. Among those > 64 years of age, 44% had a BP < 160/90 mm Hg. In 1992, these results were included in a publication by the World Hypertension League. Data obtained with this new and interesting approach were reviewed 4 years later. The approach is inexpensive (the equivalent of US $28,000) and made it possible to directly inform thousands of people, normotensive and hypertensive, about arterial hypertension and antihypertensive drug therapy, as well as risk factors for cardiovascular disease. This kind of approach may be worth a strict evaluation, to assess whether it is really useful in improving high blood pressure control in the population.