Reduction of mortality following better detection of hypertension and alcohol problems in primary health care in Spain.

Through a simulation study, we estimated the potential effects of better detection of hypertension and improved screening for alcohol problems with subsequent interventions. Results showed that if 50% of Spanish males between 40 and 64 years of age who are currently unaware of their hypertension become aware of their condition and receive the usual treatment, and 50% of these males with hypertension are screened for alcohol and are treated for hazardous drinking or alcohol use disorders, then the percentage of uncontrolled hypertension among men with hypertension decreases from 61.2% to 55.9%, i.e. by 8.6%, with about 1/3 of the effect due to the alcohol intervention. For women, likewise, these interventions would decrease the percentage of women in the same age group with uncontrolled hypertension by 7.4% (about 40% due to the alcohol intervention). The reduction of blood pressure in the population would avoid 412 premature CVD deaths (346 in men, 66 in women) within one year. Therefore, better detection of hypertension and screening for alcohol with subsequent interventions would result in marked reductions of uncontrolled hypertension and CVD mortality.