TREATMENT OF RAISED BLOOD-PRESSURE IN THE POPULATION - THE CANADIAN EXPERIENCE

The Canadian Heart Health Survey, in which all 10 Canadian provinces p articipated using a standardized protocol, provides data from 23,129 r andomly selected participants. The hypertension component of this surv ey indicates a prevalence of 22%; among these hypertensives, 59% were aware of their elevated blood pressure status. The breakdown of aware hypertensives indicates that 16% of those were treated and controlled, 24% were treated but not controlled, and 19% were neither treated nor controlled. In terms of drug prescription pattern, angiotensin conver ting enzyme inhibitors, including angiotensin II antagonists, command the maximum market share of 27.7% ($36 million), followed by diuretics , calcium channel blockers, P-blockers, and others. Although hypertens ion awareness and control have improved in the past 25 years, sustaine d efforts are warranted to control hypertension in Canada. (C) 1998 Am erican Journal of Hypertension, Ltd.