Causes of failure to control hypertension in people over ۶۵ years of age

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a major cause of cardiovascular diseases whose prevalence increases by ۱۰% for every ۱۰ years after ۵۰ years of age. This study aimed to investigate the causes of failure to control blood pressure in people aged over ۶۵ years old. METHODS: This descriptive case-control study was conducted on ۲۰۰ participants aged over ۶۵ years old who were diagnosed with hypertension through a routine travel check-up for pilgrimage to Mecca in Amin Hospital, Isfahan, Iran during ۲۰۰۳. Following the medical examinations and blood pressure measurements according to the World Health Organization (WHO) standards, the participants were divided into two groups of controlled blood pressure (case ) and uncontrolled blood pressure (control). A questionnaire was filled in for each participant and the data was analyzed using chi-square and student-t tests. RESULTS: The mean age was ۷۰.۷ ± ۵.۲ and ۶۹ ± ۴.۹ in case and control groups, respectively. Less than half of the participants in the case group took anti-hypertensive medicine, out of which ۸۷.۵% were treated by a physician and ۱۲.۵% practiced self-therapy. In addition, ۲۵% took their medicine regularly and ۵۵% expressed a lack of motivation as the cause of discontinuing their medication. Furthermore, patients with controlled blood pressure had significantly better knowledge and performance than the case group (P < ۰.۰۵). CONCLUSION: The most common causes of failure to control blood pressure were poor knowledge, inappropriate practice in diet, stress, smoking, and irregular intake of medication. Keywords: Hypertension, Cardiovascular Diseases, Antihypertensive Agents, Diet Therapy