A 5-YEAR FOLLOW-UP OF PREVENTIVE APPROACH TO PATIENTS WITH ESSENTIAL-HYPERTENSION

We examined the effect of a 4-5 week spa programme consisting of hyper tension control education, physical education and smoking cessation on a long-term risk factor control. Two hundred and twenty hypertensive males underwent a 1 month training programme. At the end of the month, improvement had occurred in blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) exer cise capacity, degree of obesity and serum cholesterol and triglycerid es. At 5-year follow-up several parameters still showed improvement. T he mean resting, exercise and recovery BP was lower than initial Value s as was the double product. The subjective and objective load toleran ce during exercise had also improved. Half of the patients required le ss medication than initially to control their BP and in 80% of cases t he BP was either the same or lower than initially. The mean heart size did not change from control values; 84% of patients felt that their g eneral health improved. The mean triglyceride level was lower than at the start and the number of smokers had fallen from 33 to 21%. On the other hand several parameters showed disappointing results. The weight and serum cholesterol and risk factor score remained unchanged and me an resting HR actually increased. Only 10% were exercising regularly a nd 20% had a worsening of their BP. Thus intensive short term interven tion studies may help reduce some cardiovascular risk factors temporar ily but the long effect of this intervention in the control of risk fa ctors is still limited.