Physician and patient perspectives on hypertension management and factors associated with lifestyle modifications in Japan: results from an online survey

• Published in: Hypertension research 2020-05, Vol.43 (5), p.450-462
• Main Authors: Nishigaki, Nobuhiro, Shimasaki, Yukio, Yoshida, Takuo, Hasebe, Naoyuki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antihypertensives; Hypertension; Lifestyles; Patient compliance; Patients; Physicians
• ISSN: 0916-9636; 1348-4214
• DOI: 10.1038/s41440-020-0398-0

We conducted a survey to examine the gaps between Japanese physician and patient perspectives on hypertension management and to investigate important factors that may help solve the "hypertension paradox" in Japan. Web-based surveys of patients and physicians were conducted in Japan between October 19 and 31, 2017. The data collected included physician and patient perspectives on hypertension education, adherence to lifestyle modifications and antihypertensive medication, and reasons for treatment adherence/nonadherence. Factors relating to specific patient behaviors (e.g., monitoring their home blood pressure [BP] daily) were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Of the 541 physicians and 881 patients included in the analyses, both groups recognized that the extent of lifestyle changes was insufficient. Approximately 80% of physicians reported that they fully or sufficiently provided education to patients about reasons for hypertension treatment and its associated risks, target BP levels, and lifestyle modifications. Only 40-50% of patients considered those topics having been fully or sufficiently discussed. Logistic regression analyses revealed that positive lifestyle modifications (daily home BP monitoring, salt intake