Hypertension care during the COVID‐19 pandemic in an integrated health care system

• DOI: 10.1111/jch.14641
• Publication Date: 2023-03-15T05:47:30Z
• Authors: John F. Steiner; J. David Powers; Allen Malone; Jason Lyons; Kari Olson; Andrea R. Paolino; Claudia A. Steiner
• Keywords: Pandemic

Abstract Retention in hypertension care, medication adherence, and blood pressure (BP) may have been affected by the COVID‐19 pandemic. In a retrospective cohort study of 64 766 individuals with treated from an integrated health care system, we compared during year pre‐COVID‐19 (March 2019–February 2020) first 2020–February 2021). was defined as receiving clinical BP measurements COVID‐19. Medication adherence measured using prescription refills. Clinical assessed in‐person virtual visits changes systolic diastolic BP. The had mean age 67.8 (12.2) years, 51.2% were women, 73.5% White. 60 757 pre‐COVID‐19, 16618 (27.4%) no declined 86.0% to 80.8% ( p < .001). In‐person primary decreased 2.7 (2.7) 1.4 (1.9) per year, while contacts increased 9.5 11.2 (14.2) (both Among measurements, (SD) 126.5 mm Hg (11.8) 127.3 (12.6) = .14). Mean 73.5 (8.5) (8.7) .77). Even this many did not receive monitoring Most who remained maintained pre‐COVID Targeted outreach be necessary restore continuity control at population level.