Biopsychosocial variables and attitudes towards treatment influence complicated hypertension

BACKGROUND: Complicated hypertension can be influenced by the characteristics of hypertensive patients. OBJECTIVE: To associate the condition of complicated hypertension with biosocial variables such as attitudes and beliefs about the disease and treatment and subjective well-being. METHODS: We studied 251 uncomplicated hypertensive patients (SBP > 140 mmHg and/or 90 < DBP < 110 mmHg for patients under no treatment and DBP 110 mmHg with or without treatment, with target organ damage or other diseases). RESULTS: Complicated hypertensive patients were significantly different from uncomplicated ones (p <0.05) in relation to: 1 – Prevalence of men, not white (53.0%), higher body mass index (29.5 ± 4.6 vs 28.5 ± 4.0 kg/m²), over 10 years of disease (54.0%), completion of previous treatment (53.0%) and reports of sadness about life as a whole (74.0%) 2 – Complicated hypertensive patients never bring the drugs when they travel (59.0%), nor do they buy them before running out the drugs (71.0%) and rarely follow eating guidelines (69.0%) 3 – Uncomplicated hypertensive patients showed no more migraines, joint pain and, among women, menopausal status and hormone replacement therapy, and 4 – Of those who had pressure control (< 140/90 mmHg), 61.9% were uncomplicated hypertensive patients; and 5 – Complicated hypertensive patients were not aware that treatment can prevent kidney problems and they thought that young people do not have high blood pressure. CONCLUSION: Complicated hypertensive patients showed more negative structural and psychosocial characteristics, more negative attitudes towards treatment and are unaware of the disease.