Findings in Managed Care Reported from Weill Cornell Medicine (Health Care Fragmentation and Blood Pressure Control Among Adults Taking Antihypertensive Medication): Managed Care

2022 APR 15 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Researchers detail new data in Managed Care. According to news reporting out of New York City, New York, by NewsRx editors, research stated, “To determine the association of fragmented ambulatory health care with uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) and apparent treatment-resistant hypertension (aTRH) among older adults taking antihypertensive medication, overall and by race and gender. Cross-sectional study using data from 2868 REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study participants 66 years and older who completed a study examination in 2013-2016, had Medicare fee-for-service coverage, and were taking antihypertensive medication.”

Funders for this research include NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke (NINDS), National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, HHS, NIH National Heart Lung & Blood Institute (NHLBI).

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Weill Cornell Medicine, “We used logistic regression to analyze the association of fragmented health care with uncontrolled BP and aTRH. Fragmented health care was operationalized as a reversed Bice-Boxerman Index score in the 75th percentile or higher, calculated using the number of ambulatory providers and health care visits in the year preceding the study examination. Uncontrolled BP was defined by systolic BP of at least 140 mm Hg or diastolic BP of at least 90 mm Hg. aTRH was defined by taking 3 or more classes of antihypertensive medication with uncontrolled BP or 4 or more classes with controlled BP. The overall adjusted odds ratios (95% CIs) for uncontrolled BP, aTRH with controlled BP, and aTRH with uncontrolled BP associated with fragmented health care were 1.10 (0.89-1.37), 1.08 (0.80-1.47), and 1.32 (0.96-1.81), respectively. Fragmented health care was not associated with uncontrolled BP or aTRH among White participants, women, or men. Among Black participants, the odds ratio (95% CI) associated with fragmented health care was 1.21 (0.81-1.82) for uncontrolled BP, 1.22 (0.72-2.07) for aTRH with controlled BP, and 1.82 (1.07-3.11) for aTRH with uncontrolled BP.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Fragmented health care may increase the likelihood of aTRH with uncontrolled BP among older Black adults taking antihypertensive medication.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Health Care Fragmentation and Blood Pressure Control Among Adults Taking Antihypertensive Medication. The American Journal of Managed Care, 2022;28(3). The American Journal of Managed Care can be contacted at: Managed Care & Healthcare Communications Llc, 666 Plainsboro Rd, Ste 300, Plainsboro, NJ 08536, USA.

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Lisa M. Kern, Weill Cornell Medicine, Dept MedNIKL, 420E 70TH St, Box 331, New York, NY 10021, United States. Additional authors for this research include Calvin L. Colvin, Monika M. Safford, Paul Muntner and Lisandro D. Colantonio.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.37765/ajmc.2022.88837. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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