Blood Pressure-lowering Medication Research Articles

Access to essential medicines for diabetes care: availability, price, and affordability in central Ethiopia

BackgroundDiabetes is a major global public health burden. Effective diabetes management is highly dependent on the availability of affordable and quality-assured essential medicines (EMs) which is a challenge especially in low-and-middle-income countries such as Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the accessibility of EMs used for diabetes care in central Ethiopia’s public and private medicine outlets with respect to availability and affordability parameters. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in 60 selected public and private medicine outlets in central Ethiopia from January to February 2022 using the World Health Organization/Health Action International (WHO/HAI) standard tool to assess access to EMs. We included EMs that lower glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol as these are all critical for diabetes care. Availability was determined as the percentage of surveyed outlets per sector in which the selected lowest-priced generic (LPG) and originator brand (OB) products were found. The number of days’ wages required by the lowest paid government worker (LPGW) to purchase a one month’s supply of medicines was used to measure affordability while median price was determined to assess patient price and price markup difference between public procurement and retail prices.ResultsAcross all facilities, availability of LPG and OB medicines were 34.6% and 2.5% respectively. Only two glucose-lowering (glibenclamide 5 mg and metformin 500 mg) and two blood pressure-lowering medications (nifedipine 20 mg and hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg) surpassed the WHO’s target of 80% availability. The median price based on the least measurable unit of LPG diabetes EMs was 1.6 ETB (0.033 USD) in public and 4.65 ETB (0.095 USD) in private outlets. The cost of one month’s supply of diabetes EMs was equivalent to 0.3 to 3.1 days wages in public and 1.0 to 11.0 days wages in private outlets, respectively, for a typical LPGW. Thus, 58.8% and 84.6% of LPG diabetes EMs included in the price analysis were unaffordable in private and public outlets, respectively.ConclusionsThere are big gaps in availability and affordability of EMs used for diabetes in central Ethiopia. Policy makers should work to improve access to diabetes EMs. It is recommended to increase government attention to availing affordable EMs for diabetes care including at the primary healthcare levels which are more accessible to the majority of the population. Similar studies are also recommended to be conducted in different parts of Ethiopia.

Evaluation of Protective Effect of Gemigliptin and Rizatriptan in Streptozotocin induced Diabetic Neuropathy in Rats.

ABSTRACT: A typical micro-vascular consequence of diabetes mellitus is diabetic neuropathy. The prevalence of diabetic neuropathy patients is rising in spite of strict glycemic control, blood pressure, and lipid lowering medication. New prevention and treatment methods are required because of the drawbacks and side effects of current medicines. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter implicated in the transmission of pain, is being investigated for its potential to process pain and to reduce inflammatory responses. Gemigliptin and rizatriptan are being studied for the treatment of hyperglycemic mortality. In this investigation, STZ (60 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally once to cause diabetic neuropathy. Tests were conducted on the neuroprotective potential of Gemigliptin (5 mg/kg p,o) alone and in combination with variable dosages of Rizatriptan (0.5, 1 mg/kg, i.p.) administered at intervals of 72 hours and one month. According to the study, a medicine combination of gemigliptin and rizatriptan successfully reduces the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy by lowering cholesterol, triglycerides, and serum glucose levels—all of which contribute to diabetes complications. Additionally, the combination reduces nerve damage-related hyperalgesia and significantly increases locomotor activity. Oxidative stress is decreased, which helps prevent additional difficulties, and the combination raises levels of antioxidants like SOD and CAT. Overall, Gemigliptin and Rizatriptan work well together to reduce diabetic neuropathic pain.

Abstract P332: Metabolically Healthy Obesity is Associated With Higher Levels of Executive Function in Middle-Aged Adults: The Bogalusa Heart Study

Introduction: Obesity in midlife is associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline. It remains unclear if there is a difference in cognitive function between individuals with obesity and metabolic dysfunction (metabolically abnormal obesity - MAO) versus those with metabolically healthy obesity (MHO). We assessed the relationship between MHO (vs MAO) and cognitive function in mid-life among Black and White individuals in the Bogalusa Heart Study. Methods: The Bogalusa Heart Study is a longitudinal cohort exploring the natural history of cardiovascular disease among Black and White individuals in Bogalusa, Louisiana. This cross-sectional analysis included 659 participants with obesity, defined as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 . Metabolic abnormality was defined as the presence of one or more of the following: systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure ≥ 85 mm Hg, taking blood pressure lowering medication, triglycerides ≥ 150 mg/dL, HDL-C < 40 mg/dL (men) or < 50 mg/dL (women), taking lipid-lowering medication, fasting plasma glucose ≥ 100 mg/dL, or taking diabetes medication. Healthy metabolic status was defined as the absence of blood pressure, lipid, and glycemic abnormalities. Cognitive function was measured using a total of 9 neuropsychological tests assessing attention/information processing speed, executive function, and episodic memory. Linear regression models were used to determine the association between MHO and a demographically standardized global cognitive score and individual domain-based z-scores adjusting for smoking status and education. Results: Participants had a mean age of 47.8 ± 5.3 years, 42.7% self-identified as Black, and 64.1% were female. The prevalence of MHO was 9.9%. MHO was associated with higher levels of executive function compared with MAO (β=0.46; SE=0.19; p=0.0145). No significant differences were observed between MHO and MAO participants on global cognitive score, processing speed, or episodic memory. Conclusions: Our study found that MHO is associated with better levels of executive function in midlife. While additional studies are needed, these findings suggest that interventions that reduce metabolic abnormalities related to blood pressure, lipids, and glucose may reduce obesity-related decreases in executive function among middle-aged individuals with obesity.

The prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among adults living in extreme poverty.

Evidence on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor prevalence among adults living below the World Bank's international line for extreme poverty (those with income <$1.90 per day) globally is sparse. Here we pooled individual-level data from 105 nationally representative household surveys across 78 countries, representing 85% of people living in extreme poverty globally, and sorted individuals by country-specific measures of household income or wealth to identify those in extreme poverty. CVD risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, smoking, obesity and dyslipidaemia) were present among 17.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 16.7-18.3%), 4.0% (95% CI 3.6-4.5%), 10.6% (95% CI 9.0-12.3%), 3.1% (95% CI 2.8-3.3%) and 1.4% (95% CI 0.9-1.9%) of adults in extreme poverty, respectively. Most were not treated for CVD-related conditions (for example, among those with hypertension earning <$1.90 per day, 15.2% (95% CI 13.3-17.1%) reported taking blood pressure-lowering medication). The main limitation of the study is likely measurement error of poverty level and CVD risk factors that could have led to an overestimation of CVD risk factor prevalence among adults in extreme poverty. Nonetheless, our results could inform equity discussions for resource allocation and design of effective interventions.

(159) Characteristics and Hypertension Management Trends in Hypertensive Men With and Without Erectile Dysfunction

Abstract Introduction Hypertension, defined as a blood pressure (BP) ≥ 130/80 mmHg and/or use of BP lowering medications, affects 47% of the U.S. population and is the most important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention. Prevalence of BP control appears to be decreasing in the U.S. and currently only 1 in 4 adults with hypertension have controlled BP. Erectile dysfunction (ED), an early marker of subclinical CVD, often accompanies hypertension. Most BP lowering medications have been shown to not affect sexual function, but the drug class of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) have generally been found to have favorable effects on erectile function through their inhibition of angiotensin II. Therefore, exploring the relationship between hypertension management and ED is advantageous for the ultimate control and treatment of these two common and highly prevalent diseases. Objective Assess the demographics of hypertensive men with and without ED and examine associations of ED with hypertension management and BP control outcomes Methods All men presenting for an initial visit for hypertension (ICD-10 codes I10, I11.0, and I11.9) between January 2017-December 2022 at an academic medical center were included for analysis. The electronic health record was queried for patient demographics, the diagnosis of ED, cardiovascular comorbidities, major drug classes of antihypertensives, and major PDE5-inhibitors. Descriptive statistics was used to describe patient characteristics by ED status. Chi-squared, t-test, and Mann-Whitney U tests was used to compare characteristics of patients by presence of ED. Results Of 24,723 hypertensive men in our health system during the study period, only 1,119 men (4.5%) were noted to have ED (Table 1). Hypertensive men with ED were younger (56 ± 11), than those without ED (61±15). There was no statistically significant difference in the use of ARBs amongst hypertensive men with and without ED. Initial systolic and diastolic BP was significantly higher amongst men with ED. After pooling all outpatient clinic visits prior to and after the diagnosis of ED, BP control did improve mildly over the study period, but this was coupled with a decrease in BP medication use across all drug classes. Finally, there was a significant increase in hypertensive males who were on a either sildenafil or tadalafil after their ED diagnosis (Table 2). Conclusions This study elucidates several key points in conceptualizing the ED and hypertension problem and lays a foundation for the next phase in addressing critical gaps in care. This research further validates the underdiagnoses and thus undertreatment of ED overall, with a significantly lower than expected number of men with ED. Despite the well-established benefits of ARBs in hypertensive men with ED, we observed a trend of underutilization of this beneficial BP medication option. Improvements in BP control over time for hypertensive men with ED emphasize the role ED could play in hypertension management. Leveraging ARBs and education on the interplay of ED and hypertension could lead to improved rates and control of both diseases. Disclosure Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Endo Pharmaceuticals, ForHims.

Utilisation of Chronic Disease and Mental Health Management Services and Cardioprotective Medication Prescriptions in Primary Care for Patients With Cardiovascular Diseases and Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among cancer survivors. Mental health is considered an important risk factor affecting the treatment of cardiovascular disease. However, little is known about the use of secondary prevention strategies for CVD in patients with both cancer and CVD. This study aimed to compare the utilisation of primary care chronic disease management plans, mental health care and guideline-indicated cardioprotective medications among CVD patients with and without cancer. Retrospective cross-sectional study utilising clinical data of patients with CVD from 50 Australian primary care practices. Outcomes included the use of chronic disease management plans, mental health care, guideline-indicated cardioprotective medications and influenza vaccination. Logistic regression, accounting for demographic and clinical covariates and clustering effects by practices, was used to compare the two groups. Of the 15,040 patients with CVD, 1,486 patients (9.9%) concurrently had cancer. Patients with cancer, compared to those without, were older (77.6 vs 71.8 years, p<0.001), more likely to drink alcohol (62.6% vs 55.7%, p<0.001), have lower systolic (130.3±17.8 vs 132.5±21.1 mmHg, p<0.001) and diastolic (72.2±11 vs 75.3±34 mmHg, p<0.001) blood pressure. Although suboptimal for both groups, patients with cancer were significantly more likely to have general practice management plans (GPMPs) (51.4% vs 43.2%, p<0.001), coordination of team care arrangements (TCAs) (46.2% vs 37.0%, p<0.001), have a review of either GPMP or TCA (42.8% vs 34.7%, p<0.001), have a mental health treatment consultation (15.4% vs 10.5%, p=0.004) and be prescribed blood pressure-lowering medications (70.1% vs 66.0%, p=0.002). However, there were no statistical differences in the prescription of lipid-lowering or antiplatelet medications. After adjustments for covariates and multiple testing, patients with cancer did not show a difference in GPMPs, TCAs, and a review of either, but were more likely to receive mental health treatment consultations than those without cancer (odds ratio 1.76; 95% confidence interval 1.42-2.19). Less than half of patients with CVD had a GPMP, TCA or review of either. Although those patients with cancer were more likely to receive these interventions, still around half the patients did not. Medicare-funded GPMPs, TCAs and a review of either GPMP or TCA were underutilised, and future studies should seek to identify ways of improving access to these services.

Aspirin for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: What We Now Know

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including coronary artery disease and stroke, is the leading cause of death worldwide. Advances in primary and secondary prevention of CVD have improved patient prognoses and outcomes, however, it is imperative that the clinician and patient engage in early risk factor screening and preventive management of modifiable risk factors for CVD. In addition to blood lipid and blood pressure lowering medications, aspirin has been a long-standing therapy targeted to the prevention of CVD based on its antiplatelet and anti-inflammatory activity. However, recent articles and reports on updates to clinical guidelines for the primary prevention of CVD have resulted in confusion about aspirin recommendations. This review aims to assess the latest guidance on aspirin in CVD prevention and how to identify appropriately at-risk patients who may benefit from low-dose aspirin therapy as part of their CVD preventive healthcare choices. Additionally, this review will provide practical application guidance about clinician-patient conversations to clearly explain the benefits and risks of aspirin use and ensure a patient-centric decision to initiate aspirin therapy.

Chrono-nutrition for hypertension.

Despite the advancement in blood pressure (BP) lowering medications, uncontrolled hypertension persists, underscoring a stagnation of effective clinical strategies. Novel and effective lifestyle therapies are needed to prevent and manage hypertension to mitigate future progression to cardiovascular and chronic kidney diseases. Chrono-nutrition, aligning the timing of eating with environmental cues and internal biological clocks, has emerged as a potential strategy to improve BP in high-risk populations. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the circadian physiology of BP with an emphasis on renal and vascular circadian biology. The potential of Chrono-nutrition as a lifestyle intervention for hypertension is discussed and current evidence for the efficacy of time-restricted eating is presented.

Causes of fatal traumatic brain injury in Finland.

The phenotype of patients who suffer fatal traumatic brain injury (TBI) is poorly characterized. The authors examined the external causes, contributing diseases, and preinjury medication in adult patients with fatal TBI in a nationwide Finnish cohort. Deaths caused by TBIs in Finland were examined among decedents aged ≥ 16 years during 2005-2020 from the national Cause of Death Registry. Usage of prescription medications prior to TBI was studied using medication purchase data from the Social Insurance Institution of Finland. The cohort consisted of 71,488,347 person-years, 821,259 total deaths, and 14,630 TBI-related deaths during 2005-2020, of which 67% (n = 9792) occurred in men. Women were older than men among those who suffered TBI-related death (mean age 77.2 ± 17.1 vs 64.5 ± 19.5 years, p < 0.0001). The overall crude incidence rate of fatal TBIs was 20.5/100,000 person-years (28.1/100,000 in men and 13.2/100,000 in women). TBI was the cause of death in 1.8% of all deaths in the Finnish population during the study years, but in patients aged 16-19 years, TBIs caused more than 17% of all deaths. The most common external cause of fatal TBI was a fall (70%), followed by poisoning or toxic effects (20%) and violence or self-harm (15%) overall. In men, the order of the most common causes of fatal TBI was similar to overall results (64%, 25%, and 19%, respectively), while in women, the most common cause was a fall (82%), followed by complications in healthcare (10%) and poisoning or toxic effects (9%). Cardiovascular diseases, psychiatric diseases, and infections were the most common diseases contributing to death. Blood pressure (lowering) medications were the most common type of medications used before fatal TBI. CNS medications were the second most common medication group. In the context of fatal TBI in Europe, Finland remains at the upper end of fatal TBI incidence. TBI is a common cause of death in young adults, whereas the incidence of fatal TBI becomes increasingly higher with age in Finland. Cardiovascular diseases and psychiatric conditions were the most common diseases related to death, with opposite age trends. Healthcare facility complications were an alarmingly common cause of death in women with fatal TBI.

Age and Comorbidities Are Associated With Therapeutic Inertia Among Older Adults With Uncontrolled Blood Pressure.

Lack of initiation or escalation of blood pressure (BP) lowering medication when BP is uncontrolled, termed therapeutic inertia (TI), increases with age and may be influenced by comorbidities. We examined the association of age and comorbidities with TI in 22,665 visits with a systolic BP ≥140 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP ≥90 mm Hg among 7,415 adults age ≥65 years receiving care in clinics that implemented a hypertension quality improvement program. Generalized linear mixed models were used to determine the association of comorbidity number with TI by age group (65-74 and ≥75 years) after covariate adjustment. Baseline mean age was 75.0 years (SD 7.8); 41.4% were male. TI occurred in 79.0% and 83.7% of clinic visits in age groups 65-74 and ≥75 years, respectively. In age group 65-74 years, prevalence ratio of TI with 2, 3-4, and ≥5 comorbidities compared with zero comorbidities was 1.07 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04, 1.12), 1.08 (95% CI: 1.05, 1.12), and 1.15 (95% CI: 1.10, 1.20), respectively. The number of comorbidities was not associated with TI prevalence in age group ≥75 years. After implementation of the improvement program, TI declined from 80.3% to 77.2% in age group 65-74 years and from 85.0% to 82.0% in age group ≥75 years (P < 0.001 for both groups). TI was common among older adults but not associated with comorbidities after age ≥75 years. A hypertension improvement program had limited impact on TI in older patients.

Updating cardiovascular disease risk prediction equations to account for lipid lowering treatment drop-in during follow up: a national data-linkage cohort

Abstract Background and Purpose No commonly recommended cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk prediction equations account for the effect of medications initiated during follow-up (treatment drop-in) in the cohort studies used to derive equations. We have previously demonstrated that treatment drop-in is common. In this study we aim to compare equations before and after accounting for lipid-lowering medication drop-in during follow-up. Methods De-identified individual-level linkage of multiple administrative health datasets in Aotearoa New Zealand was undertaken to establish a cohort of almost all New Zealanders without CVD or heart failure, alive and aged 30-74 years on December 31, 2006, with follow-up linkage to hospitalisations and mortality until 31 December 2018. We derived age- and sex-specific Cox regression models to predict 5-year CVD risk, using pre-defined routinely available CVD risk predictors, both with and without a time-dependent lipid-lowering medication drop-in variable. The drop-in effect was set at a 20% CVD risk reduction, based on randomised controlled trial evidence. We compared the observed and predicted risks of the two equations using calibration plots. Results During 19,728,300 person-years of follow-up (mean: 11.3 years), 1,746,695 people had 155,943 first CVD events. Kaplan-Meier adjusted 5-year CVD risk was 2.36% (95% CI: 2.33%, 2.39%) in women and 4.36% (95% CI: 4.31%, 4.40%) in men. 1,586,421 individuals were not taking lipid-lowering medications at baseline, among whom 371,415 initiated lipid-lowering medications during follow-up. Median predicted five-year CVD risk was slightly higher when using equations that accounted for lipid-lowering medication drop-in and identified significantly more individuals as ≥15% 5-year CVD risk than equations that did not (15,355 vs 9,680 in women and 46,603 vs 36,460 in men). As expected, the increased predicted risk in equations accounting for medication drop-in was most marked in the high-risk groups. Conclusions CVD risk prediction equations that do not adjust for treatment drop-in will underestimate risk and lead to undertreatment, particularly among the highest risk patients. Traditional methods to evaluate model performance are unable to identify the impact of treatment drop-in. We demonstrate that incorporating a time-dependent lipid-lowering medication effect from trials is likely to be an effective approach for addressing treatment drop-in in CVD risk prediction equations. Future studies will also need to address the impact of other common drop-in treatments, particularly blood pressure-lowering medications.

Validation of ARIC heart failure risk score in the Asian population: The CORE-Thailand cohort study

Abstract Background The Atherosclerotic Risk in Communities (ARIC) heart failure (HF) score was developed from population in the United States to predict HF. However, it has not been validated in Asian population. Purpose To validate the ARIC HF score and develop the new ARIC-CORE score to predict HF in Asian population in the Cohort Of patients with high Risk for cardiovascular Events (CORE-Thailand). Methods The CORE-Thailand registry was a prospective study that enrolled Thai patients with high atherosclerotic risk. Patients were followed for the occurrence of cardiovascular events including HF. The ARIC HF score comprised nine variables (age, race, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, BP-lowering medication use, diabetes, coronary heart disease, smoking status, and body mass index) to predict the occurrence of HF. Original coefficients of the full ARIC HF model were used to calculate the original ARIC HF score. The new ARIC-CORE score was developed by re-estimating the coefficients of all ARIC score variables in the study population using ridge regression analysis. The polynomial function was applied to the continuous variables with non-linear association with HF, which included heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and body mass index. Discrimination of the models was determined using C-index and calibration was assessed by plotting the observed outcomes versus the predicted probabilities of the outcomes. Net reclassification index (NRI) was used to compare the prediction performance between the ARIC HF and the ARIC-CORE risk score. Clinical utility of the scores were assessed with decision curve analysis. Results From a total of 8919 patients who had no history of HF, 199 (2.23%) developed HF. The ARIC HF score provided a good discrimination at C-statistics of 0.71 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.67-0.75) with good calibration. (Figure 1 A). The ARIC-CORE risk score had a C-statistics of 0.75 (95%CI;0.71-0.76) with good calibration. (Figure 1B) Using the ARIC-CORE was associated with an improved classification of HF risk (NRI 0.32, 95%CI:0.18-0.44) compared to the ARIC HF score. The net benefit of using the ARIC-CORE score was higher than the original ARIC HF score in the decision curve analysis (Figure 2). Conclusion The ARIC HF score had acceptable discrimination and calibration in the CORE cohort. Interestingly, the ARIC-CORE score performed better in classifying HF risk and could be a suitable model to be used in Asian populations.Calibration plotDecision curve analysis

Sex and age differences in the use of medications for diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors among 25,733 people with diabetes.

To determine sex and age differences in the use of medications for diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors in people with diabetes in Australia. Pharmaceutical claims data of participants in the 45 and Up Study who self-reported having diabetes before 2013, were alive on 1st January 2013 and had at least one medication dispensing record between 1st January 2013 and 31st December 2019 were analysed. Annual sex and age-specific percentages of participants supplied specific medications were estimated for years 2013 to 2019. Percentages were reported for any glucose lowering medications and by drug class, any lipid modifying agents, and any blood pressure lowering medications. Altogether 25,733 participants (45.2% women) with diabetes were included. The percentage of participants who were supplied with glucose lowering medications was consistently lower in women compared to men. In both sexes, the percentage of participants who were supplied with glucose lowering medications was lowest among those aged ≥75 years and this decreased over time. Similar findings were observed for lipid modifying agents and blood pressure lowering medications. The use of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors increased substantially in participants aged <75 years since it became available in 2013. However, no sex differences were observed in its use among people with hospital-recorded history of cardiovascular disease. Practitioners should be aware of possible sex disparities in the pharmacological treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors in people with diabetes in Australia. There is a possible time lag between reporting of research findings and uptake of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors prescribing in individuals with diabetes and high cardiovascular risk in clinical practice, nevertheless, the result observed was consistent with the management guidelines at the time of the study.

Uncontrolled Hypertension, Treatment, and Predictors among Hypertensive Out-Patients Attending Primary Health Facilities in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Hypertension is a poorly controlled risk factor for cardiovascular disease in South Africa, particularly among patients receiving care in the public sector who are mostly from low socioeconomic backgrounds. This cross-sectional study investigated uncontrolled hypertension, treatment, and predictors among hypertensive out-patients attending primary health care facilities in Johannesburg, South Africa. The WHO STEPwise approach to the surveillance of non-communicable diseases was used to collect data, including sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, health status, and measurements for anthropometry and blood pressure along with self-reported adherence to treatment, estimated through the general medication adherence scale. Uncontrolled hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg in diagnosed patients receiving anti-hypertensive treatment. Overweight and obesity were defined as a body mass index ≥25 and ≥30 kg/m2, respectively. Logistic regression models were used to assess the predictors of uncontrolled hypertension. Four hundred (n = 400) hypertensive out-patients (mean age: 50 ± 8 years) participated in this study, with most living in poor sociodemographic environments. The prevalence rate of uncontrolled hypertension was 57%. Obesity (62% vs. 42%, p ≤ 0.0001), salt consumption (90% vs. 55%, p ≤ 0.0001), alcohol intake (42% vs. 19%, p ≤ 0.0001), a smoking habit (23% vs. 4%, p ≤ 0.0001), alternative medicine use (51% vs. 40%, p = 0.043), and comorbidities (64% vs. 36%, p ≤ 0.0001) were higher in the uncontrolled group than the controlled group, whereas the prevalence of physical activity (38% vs. 15%, p ≤ 0.0001) was high in the controlled group vs. the uncontrolled. Overall, 85% of the patients moderately adhered to treatment, only 2% exhibited high adherence, and 13% demonstrated low adherence; over half of the patients received tri-therapy treatment. The predictors of uncontrolled hypertension are a number of prescribed antihypertensive therapies [adjusted odds ration = 2.39; 95% confidence interval: 1.48-3.87], treatment adherence [0.46; 0.21-0.97], salt consumption [28.35; 7.87-102.04], physical activity [0.22; 0.13-0.37], current alcohol use [2.10; 1.22-3.61], and current cigarette smoking [4.79; 1.88-12.18]. The high prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension in this study suggests a need to optimize prescriptions, adherence to BP-lowering medications, and lifestyle modifications. The management of comorbidities such as diabetes could offer considerable benefits in controlling blood pressure.

Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Medication Adherence in Young Adults With Youth-Onset Type 2 Diabetes

Youth-onset type 2 diabetes is associated with early development of chronic complications. Treatment of elevated blood pressure (BP), nephropathy, and dyslipidemia are critical to reduce morbidity. Data are needed on adherence to BP- and lipid-lowering medications in young adults with youth-onset diabetes. To assess adherence and factors associated with adherence to BP- and lipid-lowering medications in young adults with youth-onset type 2 diabetes and diagnoses of hypertension, nephropathy, or dyslipidemia. This cohort study measured medication adherence with 3 monthly unannounced pill counts at 2 time points 1 year apart during iCount, conducted during the last years (2017-2019) of the observational phase of the Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth study. Psychosocial factors associated with medication adherence were examined. Participants included individuals with youth-onset type 2 diabetes with hypertension, nephropathy, or dyslipidemia receiving diabetes care in their communities. Data were analyzed from September 2022 to September 2023. The main outcome was BP- and lipid-lowering medication adherence, with low adherence defined as using less than 80% of pills and high adherence, at least 80% of pills. Psychosocial factors were measured using the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire and Material Needs Insecurities Survey. Of 381 participants in iCount, 243 participants (mean [SD] age, 26.12 [2.51] years; 159 [65.43%] women) with hypertension, nephropathy, or dyslipidemia were included in analysis. Among 196 participants with hypertension or nephropathy, 157 (80.1%) had low adherence. Participants with low adherence, compared with those with high adherence, were younger (mean [SD] age, 25.99 [2.41] vs 27.26 [2.41] years; P = .005), had higher glycated hemoglobin A1c (mean [SD], 10.33% [2.66 percentage points] vs 8.85% [2.39 percentage points]; P = .001), shorter diabetes duration (mean [SD], 12.32 [1.49] vs 12.90 [1.46] years; P = .03), and less education (eg, 17 participants [10.83%] vs 0 participants with no high school diploma; P = .004). Of 146 participants with dyslipidemia, 137 (93.8%) had low adherence and only 9 participants (6.2%) had high adherence. Of 103 participants with low adherence to BP-lowering medications and using oral hypoglycemic agents, 83 (80.58%) had low adherence to oral hypoglycemic agents. Beliefs that medications are necessary were higher for participants with high adherence to BP-lowering medications than those with low adherence in unadjusted analyses (mean [SD] necessity score, 16.87 [6.78] vs 13.89 [9.15]; P = .03). In adjusted multivariable analyses of participants with hypertension or nephropathy, having at least 1 unmet social need (odds ratio [OR], 0.20; 95% CI, 0.05-0.65; P = .04) and medication concerns (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.40-0.96; P = .01) were associated with worse medication adherence 1 year follow-up. Diabetes distress, self-efficacy, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and self-management support were not associated with 1-year medication adherence. These findings suggest that adherence to BP- and lipid-lowering medications was very poor in this cohort. To improve medication adherence and prevent early vascular events, approaches that identify and address medication concerns and unmet social needs are needed.

Relationship Between Diet Quality and Antihypertensive Medication Intensity Among Adults With Metabolic Syndrome-Associated High Blood Pressure

BackgroundManagement of high blood pressure (BP), a key feature of the metabolic syndrome (MetS), relies on diet and medication. Whether these modalities are used as complements has never been evaluated in real-world settings. This study assessed the relationship between diet quality and antihypertensive medication intensity among adults with MetS-associated high BP. MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 915 adults with MetS-associated high BP from the CARTaGENE cohort (Québec, Canada), of whom 677 reported using BP-lowering medication. Antihypertensive medication intensity was graded per the number of BP-lowering classes used simultaneously. Diet quality was assessed using the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) score. ResultsNo evidence of a relationship between antihypertensive medication intensity and diet quality was found (β for each additional antihypertensive = –0.05; 95% CI, –0.35; 0.26 DASH score points). However, among men aged < 50 years and women aged < 60 years, the DASH score was inversely associated with medication intensity (β = –0.72; 95% CI, –1.24, –0.19), whereas this relationship tended to be positive among older participants (β = 0.32; 95% CI, –0.05, 0.69). Among participants with low Framingham risk score, the DASH score was inversely associated with medication intensity (β = –0.70; 95% CI, –1.31, –0.09), but no evidence of an association was found among individuals at moderate (β = 0.00; 95% CI, –0.45, 0.45) or high (β = 0.30, 95% CI, –0.24, 0.84) risk. ConclusionsIn this cohort of adults with MetS-associated high BP, there was an overall lack of complementarity between diet quality and BP-lowering medication, especially among younger individuals and those with a lower risk for cardiovascular disease for whom diet quality was inversely associated with intensity of medication.

Lifestyle management of hypertension: International Society of Hypertension position paper endorsed by the World Hypertension League and European Society of Hypertension.

Hypertension, defined as persistently elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) >140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at least 90 mmHg (International Society of Hypertension guidelines), affects over 1.5 billion people worldwide. Hypertension is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events (e.g. coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke) and death. An international panel of experts convened by the International Society of Hypertension College of Experts compiled lifestyle management recommendations as first-line strategy to prevent and control hypertension in adulthood. We also recommend that lifestyle changes be continued even when blood pressure-lowering medications are prescribed. Specific recommendations based on literature evidence are summarized with advice to start these measures early in life, including maintaining a healthy body weight, increased levels of different types of physical activity, healthy eating and drinking, avoidance and cessation of smoking and alcohol use, management of stress and sleep levels. We also discuss the relevance of specific approaches including consumption of sodium, potassium, sugar, fibre, coffee, tea, intermittent fasting as well as integrated strategies to implement these recommendations using, for example, behaviour change-related technologies and digital tools.

Five-Year Incidence of Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy and Associated Risk Factors in a Nationwide Cohort of 201 945 Danish Patients with Diabetes.

To evaluate the proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) progression rates and identify the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who later developed PDR compared with patients who did not progress to that state. A national 5-year register-based cohort study including 201 945 patients with diabetes. Patients with diabetes who had attended the Danish national screening program (2013-2018) for diabetic retinopathy (DR). We used the first screening episode as the index date and included both eyes of patients with and without subsequent progression of PDR. Data were linked with various national health registries to investigate relevant clinical and demographic parameters. The International Clinical Retinopathy Disease Scale was used to classify DR, with no DR as level 0, mild DR as level 1, moderate DR as level 2, severe DR as level 3, and PDR as level 4. Hazard ratios (HRs) for incident PDR for all relevant demographic and clinical parameters and 1-, 3-, and 5-year incidence rates of PDR according to baseline DR level. Progression to PDR within 5 years was identified in 2384 eyes of 1780 patients. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy progression rates from baseline DR level 3 at 1, 3 and 5 years were 3.6%, 10.9%, and 14.7%, respectively. The median number of visits was 3 (interquartile range, 1-4). Progression to PDR was predicted in a multivariable model by duration of diabetes (HR, 4.66 per 10 years; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.05-5.37), type 1 diabetes (HR, 9.61; 95% CI, 8.01-11.53), a Charlson Comorbidity Index score of > 0 (score 1: HR, 4.62; 95% CI, 4.14-5.15; score 2: HR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.90-2.74; score ≥ 3: HR, 4.28; 95% CI, 3.54-5.17), use of insulin (HR, 5.33; 95% CI, 4.49-6.33), and use of antihypertensive medications (HR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.90-2.61). In a 5-year longitudinal study of an entire screening nation, we found increased risk of PDR with increasing baseline DR levels, longer duration of diabetes, type 1 diabetes, systemic comorbidity, use of insulin, and blood pressure-lowering medications. Most interestingly, we found lower risk of progression from DR level 3 to PDR compared with that in previous studies. Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.

Longitudinal bidirectional associations between diabetic retinopathy and diagnosed depression: Results from a Danish nationwide registry-based cohort study

ObjectiveDiabetic retinopathy (DR) is a feared complication and a leading course of visual impairment, but the connection between DR and depression including the direction has never been studied in a nationwide cohort. We aimed to assess, whether the associations between DR and diagnosed depression are bidirectional. MethodsWe performed a national register-based cohort study of individuals with type 2 diabetes, who attended diabetic eye screening between January 2013 and June 2022. Level of DR was extracted from the Danish Registry of Diabetic Retinopathy. The severity of DR was assessed according to the International Clinical Diabetic Retinopathy severity scale. Diagnosed depression was ascertained by physician diagnostic codes of unipolar depression (F32), recurrent depression (F33) or dysthymia (F34.1) from the Danish National Patient Register. We estimated presence of diagnosed depression according to DR level at index date and risk of diagnosed depression during follow-up using multivariable logistic and Cox regression, respectively. Secondly, we assessed whether diagnosed depression at index date could predict incident DR. ResultsWe included 240,893 individuals with type 2 diabetes with baseline rates of diagnosed depression ranging from 5.2 to 6.0 % for DR level 1–4. At index date, individuals with type 2 diabetes and DR were less likely to have a history of diagnosed depression (multivariable adjusted OR, 0.77 [95 % CI 0.73–0.82]). In 226,523 individuals with type 2 diabetes followed for 1,159,755 person-years, 1.7 % developed at least one episode of diagnosed depression.In a model adjusted for age and sex, individuals with DR at index date had an increased risk of incident diagnosed depression compared to those without DR (HR 1.25 [95 % CI 1.16–1.36]). Adjusting for marital status, use of glucose-, lipid- and blood pressure lowering medication, HbA1c, diabetic neuropathy and Charlson comorbidity index waived the above risk (multivariable adjusted HR 1.02 [95 % CI 0.93–1.12]).Furthermore a previous history of diagnosed depression was not associated with increased risk of incident DR (multivariable adjusted HR 0.89 [95 % CI 0.77–1.03]). ConclusionIn this nationwide cohort study, individuals with DR at first screening were 23 % less likely to have a history of depression, but our data did not support a bidirectional association between DR and depression. Selection bias may have occurred as diagnosed depression is a known barrier for attending DR-screening.

Obesity-related hypertension and chronic kidney disease: from evaluation to management.

With the recent obesity pandemic, obesity-related hypertension and its complications (e.g., heart failure, coronary disease, and chronic kidney disease [CKD]) are gaining attention in clinical and research fields. Obesity-related hypertension frequently precedes the onset of CKD and aggravates its progression. In this review, we discuss the role of visceral fat in the pathophysiology of obesity-related hypertension and the potential therapeutic strategies for its prevention and management. Various factors, including the sympathetic nervous system, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, and inflammatory pathways, are intricately involved in the pathogenesis of obesity-related hypertension. These factors individually and jointly contribute to the development of hypertension (usually sodium-sensitive or resistant hypertension) and, ultimately, to the progression of CKD. From a clinical standpoint, a decline in renal function in advanced CKD further makes blood pressure control challenging since only a few options are available for blood pressure-lowering medications. Proactive lifestyle modification, pharmacological treatment for obesity, and bariatric surgery can be considered for obesity control and management. Furthermore, intensive blood pressure control is required to prevent and halt the development and progression of CKD.