HypertensionCohort study
Blood Pressure Outcomes Among US Veterans Initiating Hypertension Treatment, 2014 to 2023
- retrospective cohort study
- national Veterans Health Administration data
- multivariable analyses
Authors' conclusion
Despite the target-lowering guideline and the care-disrupting pandemic, BP levels and control among Veterans remained largely unchanged. At 1 year, only half to two-thirds achieved BP <140/90 mm Hg, and few reached <130/80 mm Hg, underscoring persistent clinical inertia and the need to improve early hypertension management in the Veterans Health Administration.
Study context
- Population
- Outpatient adults newly diagnosed with hypertension and starting antihypertensive medication between November 13, 2014, and May 31, 2023Veterans (mean age, 62 years, 92% male, 66% non-Hispanic White)
- Participants
- 271,496 adults
- Exposure
- Periods 1, 2 and 3, by pretreatment systolic BP (SBP) group
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Distribution across periods
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Values |
|---|---|
| Adjusted posttreatment SBP across periods · days 180-365 postindex | <140 adjusted 128 mm Hg · 140-160 adjusted 135 mm Hg · ≥160 adjusted 142 mm Hg |
| Posttreatment BP control <140/90 mm Hg (Periods 1, 2, 3) | <140 Period 1 82.3% · Period 2 83.3% · Period 3 84.2% · 140-160 Period 1 64.1% · Period 2 66.1% · Period 3 67.3% · ≥160 Period 1 46.4% · Period 2 47.0% · Period 3 48.6% |
| Posttreatment BP control <130/80 mm Hg (Periods 1, 2, 3) | <140 Period 1 38.2% · Period 2 40.0% · Period 3 39.9% · 140-160 Period 1 20.7% · Period 2 22.0% · Period 3 22.6% · ≥160 Period 1 15.1% · Period 2 15.4% · Period 3 15.2% |
Original publication
Blood Pressure Outcomes Among US Veterans Initiating Hypertension Treatment, 2014 to 2023. Circ Popul Health Outcomes. Published 31 July 2026. doi:10.1161/circoutcomes.125.013272
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it