Status of patients seven years after completion of the hypertension detection and follow-up program in Evans County, Georgia

Abstract

The Evans County, Georgia, cohort of the Hypertension Detection and Follow-up Program (HDFP) was reexamined seven years after termination of the trial in 1979. Of the 510 survivors, 91 percent of the black and 91 percent of the white hypertensive subjects were evaluated by blood pressure (BP) levels, electrocardiograms (ECG), height-weight measurements, and questionnaire. The HDFP had treated a randomly selected half of the patients in an intensive stepped care (SC) program and the other half was referred to usual care (RC). At the beginning of the five-year trial, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) levels were higher in blacks in both SC and RC. At the completion of the trial in 1979, black women had mean DBP levels comparable to whites in both SC and RC, but black men displayed higher levels. During the five years of the trial there were no cases of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in SC in either race. In RC the incidence of LVH was slightly higher in blacks than in whites. During the seven-year post-trial period, the incidence of LVH in blacks rose to 13 percent, more than double that of whites. Medication compliance was reduced in black men during this time, most likely because of removal of the supporting elements of HDFP (frequent medical contacts, free medication).In both races, hypertensive subjects underwent weight changes during the seven years of the post-trial period. Weight loss of 15 lb was associated with normotension. Weight gain of 9 to 10 lb over seven years was associated with hypertensive BP levels.The supportive or detrimental effect of weight loss or weight gain on BP levels was thus reconfirmed in this biracial cohort.