Study finds apparent resistant hypertension is more common than thought and requires standardization of care for effective treatment management.
- High blood pressure affects one in three people worldwide.
- When it does not respond to the usual treatments, it is called apparent resistant hypertension.
- This form concerns almost one in ten hypertensive patients.
High blood pressure is a common condition that affects approximately one in three people worldwide. A particular form of hypertension, known as apparent resistant hypertension, is often misunderstood and can lead to potentially serious cardiovascular complications.
Apparent resistant hypertension is a form of hypertension that does not respond to usual medications but excludes patients whose hypertension is not controlled due to factors such as non-adherence to treatment, use of medications inappropriate, or the “white coat” effect that causes blood pressure to rise during examination by the doctor.
According to a study published in the journal Hypertension, this form of hypertension is more common than you might think and affects nearly one in ten hypertensive patients. Of the 2,420,468 patients analyzed in this study, 55% were hypertensive. Of these hypertensive patients, 8.5%, or 113,992 people, met the criteria for apparent resistant hypertension.
Treatments that allow better management of resistant hypertension
Patients with apparent resistant hypertension have high blood pressure often associated with poor cardiovascular prognosis, researchers have found that mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, or MRAs, may be an effective treatment option. In a study of over 2 million patients, ARMs were used more frequently in patients with apparent resistant hypertension that was controlled than in those with apparent resistant hypertension that was not controlled. The results showed that taking an MRA was associated with better blood pressure control and a reduced risk of cardiovascular complications.
Essential standardization of treatments for resistant hypertension
The study also found significant differences in how healthcare providers treat high blood pressure, with varying use of MRAs across geographic regions and types of clinics. According to the study authors, this shows that care needs to be standardized for more effective management of apparent resistant hypertension.
MRAs aren’t the only treatment for apparent resistant hypertension, but the results suggest they could be used more frequently for better disease management. Patients with apparent resistant hypertension should be monitored closely, and adjustments should be made to treatments as needed to avoid cardiovascular complications.
