Controle da pressão arterial e fatores associados entre pacientes com hipertensão arterial sistêmica no contexto da pandemia de covid-19

Abstract

Hypertension is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in Brazil and in the world and the underlying comorbidity most related to death from cardiovascular causes. In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been observed that these patients are at greater risk of developing severe infections and post-covid sequelae, as well as a worse prognosis for their underlying disease. Thus, it is necessary to understand how covid-19 has impacted the health of patients with hypertension. Objective: To assess the prevalence of blood pressure control and associated factors among patients with systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) in the context of the covid-19 pandemic. Methods: Cross-sectional study nested within a retrospective cohort study carried out in outpatient cardiology services in hospitals in Maceió. A total of 110 patients with SAH undergoing drug treatment were included. In order to obtain the data, questionnaires were applied through face-to-face interviews and analysis of the medical prescription, as well as measurement of physiological measures such as blood pressure, weight and height. Therapeutic adherence to antihypertensive medication was assessed using the Brief Medication Questionnaire (BMQ). Results: The mean age was 58.2 years (SD= 11.3) with a predominance of females 68.2%. As for treatment for SAH, 43.64% were on dual therapy and the average number of medications per patient was 1.6. Only 32 (29.1%) participants had blood pressure control, contradictorily 67.3% had good adherence to the SAH treatment. Mean systolic blood pressure was 138.05 mmHg (SD=19.9) and mean diastolic blood pressure was 81.20 mmHg (SD=11.6). The prevalence of covid-19 was 37.3% (n=41) of these 39 undergoing treatment for covid, however, only 25 reported remembering the medications, 69 drugs reported, with an average of 2.76 medications per respondent. On the other hand, 35.5% (n=39) of patients selfmedicated to prevent covid-19, a total of 50 medications were mentioned, with an average of 1.28 medications per patient. Of which ivermectin was the most prevalent 42%. Post-covid sequelae had a frequency of 58.5% (n=24) in the group that reported having covid-19 (n=41), the most related health problem after infection was fatigue with 37.5% (n=9). Conclusion: The low prevalence of covid-19 among respondents was possibly limited due to survivor bias. For this group, having had covid-19 was not related to a worse clinical situation of the underlying disease (SAH), factors associated with non-control of SAH were BMI measurements of male abdominal circumference.