Effects of standardized management of hypertension in the workplace for patients with diabetes

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the effects of standardized management of hypertension on blood pressure control of hypertension patients with diabetes mellitus in workplace population. Methods Taking the type and size of workplace into consideration, 61 work sites were selected in different provinces by using epidemiological field trial method. In each selected province, 2-4 work sites with similar economic and medical conditions were chosen, among which 1-3 were designated as the intervention group and the other one as the control group. In total, 443 patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus were included, with 347 patients in the intervention group and 96 patients in the control group. After training, doctors conducted standardized management for patients in the intervention group for a period of 24 months, following up with them regularly once a month, and recorded changes in blood pressure, risk factors, target organ damage, and treatment, while the control group had no special intervention, and relevant information was collected only at baseline and 24 months. Blood pressure, blood pressure control rate, and blood glucose changes were compared between the two groups. Results After receiving standardized management of hypertension, the control rate of hypertension for patients with both hypertension and diabetes mellitus in the intervention group increased from 24.2% to 63.7% (P<0.05) and the participants’ blood pressure also significantly decreased, by 10.2 (11.9-8.4) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) for systolic blood pressure and 7.7 (8.8-6.6) mmHg for diastolic blood pressure (P<0.05); moreover, the blood glucose also decreased slightly (P<0.001). In addition, the control rate of blood pressure increased to 63.7% with the increase of management time. In the control group, the control rate of hypertension increased to 46.9% (P<0.05) and the systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased by 5.6 (8.9-2.2) and 4.5 (6.6-2.4) mmHg (P<0.05). Conclusions The standardized management of hypertension in the workplace can effectively reduce overall blood pressure levels and improve the control rate of hypertension in the working population. Key words: Disease management; Hypertension; Diabetes mellitus; Workplace