Current status of glucose test prescription for hypertensive outpatients.

OBJECTIVES: The prescription of glucose test for essential hypertensive patients is estimated to be very low in cardiology clinics, but it has not been well studied. The aim of the present study aimed to investigate glucose test prescription for the hypertensive outpatients.

METHODS: Five thousand two hundred and forty hypertensive outpatients without previous known diabetes were recruited consecutively by cardiologists from >90 hospitals. Blood glucose prescription records were collected by special investigators.

RESULTS: Of the 5240 hypertensive outpatients recruited, only 258 (4.92%) were prescribed glucose tests, and 12.17% and 42.61% of them were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance, respectively. Patients' hypertension stage, cardiovascular disease history, diabetes family history, dyslipidemia, and hospital level were associated with higher odds of glucose tests prescription.

CONCLUSION: Glucose tests were poorly prescribed for hypertensive outpatients in China. It was highly recommended to raise cardiologists' awareness to prescribe glucose tests for hypertensive outpatients who were with high cardiovascular risk factors.