Hypertension in Type 2 Diabetes in primary care: How much do drugs matter in reaching target blood pressures?

Over 60% of type 2 diabetic patients are also diagnosed with high blood pressure (BP). This combination can be very serious since the risks of stroke and heart disease linked with high BP are even greater among patients with diabetes. Reduction of BP can lower these risks. However, among diabetic patients, reducing pressures to a desired level has proven particularly difficult. The purpose of this project is to identify patient, physician and health system factors associated with failure to reduce BP among diabetic patients in the community. Of particular interest is the effect of medications prescribed to help lower pressures. It has been suggested that physicians are not prescribing an adequate number, or high enough dosages, of drugs to effectively reduce BP. To address these questions, 1100 diabetic patients will be recruited from 17 family practices across the three Maritime Provinces. Information will be collected from each patient¿s chart, in addition to information from surveys of patients and physicians. Since most of the care of both high BP and diabetes is provided in the community by family physicians, this information will add to their knowledge in how to reach desired BP levels and allow them to work with patients to develop a treatment plan to reduce cardiovascular risks.