Impact of the ALLHAT/JNC7 Dissemination Project on thiazide-type diuretic use

Trends of Antihypertensive Prescription Among US Adults From 2010 to 2019 and Changes Following Treatment Guidelines: Analysis of Multicenter Electronic Health Records

BACKGROUND

Guidelines for the use of antihypertensives changed in 2014 and 2017. To understand the effect of these guidelines, we examined trends in antihypertensive prescriptions in the United States from 2010 to 2019 using a repeated cross-sectional design.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using electronic health records from 15 health care institutions for adults (20-85 years old) who had ≥1 antihypertensive prescription, we assessed whether (1) prescriptions of beta blockers decreased after the 2014 Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8) report discouraged use for first-line treatment, (2) prescriptions for calcium channel blockers and thiazide diuretics increased among Black patients after the JNC 8 report encouraged use as first-line therapy, and (3) prescriptions for dual therapy and fixed-dose combination among patients with blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg increased after recommendations in the 2017 Hypertension Clinical Practice Guidelines. The study included 1 074 314 patients with 2 133 158 prescription episodes. After publication of the JNC 8 report, prescriptions for beta blockers decreased (3% lower in 2018-2019 compared to 2010-2014), and calcium channel blockers increased among Black patients (20% higher in 2015-2017 and 41% higher in 2018-2019, compared to 2010-2014), in accordance with guideline recommendations. However, contrary to guidelines, dual therapy and fixed-dose combination decreased after publication of the 2017 Hypertension Clinical Practice Guidelines (9% and 11% decrease in 2018-2019 for dual therapy and fixed-dose combination, respectively, compared to 2015-2017), and thiazide diuretics decreased among Black patients after the JNC 8 report (6% lower in 2018-2019 compared to 2010-2014).

CONCLUSIONS

Adherence to guidelines on prescribing antihypertensive medication was inconsistent, presenting an opportunity for interventions to achieve better blood pressure control in the US population.

The effectiveness of interventions to disseminate the results of non-commercial randomised clinical trials to healthcare professionals: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

It is unclear how to disseminate the results of randomised controlled trials effectively to health professionals and policymakers to improve treatment, care or prevention through changing policy and practice. This systematic review examined the effectiveness of different methods of dissemination of clinical research results to professional audiences.

METHODS

We systematically reviewed the published and grey literature from 2000 to 2022 for studies assessing different approaches for disseminating clinical study results to professional audiences (health professionals, policymakers and guideline developers). Two reviewers assessed potentially relevant full texts for inclusion. We grouped studies by intervention type, synthesising findings using effect direction plots. Outcomes were grouped into out-takes (e.g. awareness, knowledge, understanding), outcomes (e.g. attitude changes) and impact (changes in policy/practice). The quality of evidence was assessed using GRADE.

RESULTS

Our search identified 13,264 unique records, of which 416 full texts were assessed for eligibility. Of 60 studies that were identified as eligible for inclusion, 20 evaluated the effectiveness of interventions to disseminate clinical research results (13 RCTs, 2 observational studies, 3 pre- and post-intervention surveys and 2 cross-sectional surveys). Studies were grouped by intervention: 7 studies that involved face-to-face meetings between the target audience and trained educators were classified as 'outreach interventions'; 5 studies that provided a summary format for systematic review findings (e.g. summary of findings tables) were grouped together. There was high certainty evidence of a small beneficial impact of outreach interventions on health and moderate certainty evidence of impact on practice (mostly prescribing). There was no evidence of impact on policy and very low certainty around benefits on outcomes and out-takes. We found no consistent benefits of summary formats for systematic review results on outcomes or out-takes (moderate quality evidence). Other interventions with less evidence are reported in the Additional Materials.

CONCLUSIONS

Outreach interventions to disseminate clinical research results can lead to changes in practice and improvements in health. However, these interventions can be resource-intensive. Investment is vital to identify and implement effective and cost-effective ways to disseminate results, so that the potential benefits of trials to patients can be realised.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), CRD42019137364.

The 18-year risk of cancer, angioedema, insomnia, depression, and erectile dysfunction in association with antihypertensive drugs: post-trial analyses from ALLHAT-Medicare linked data

Purpose

This study aimed to determine the 18-year risk of cancer, angioedema, insomnia, depression, and erectile dysfunction in association with antihypertensive drug use.

Methods

This is a post-trial passive follow-up study of Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT) participants between 1994 and 1998 that was conducted by linking their follow-up data with Medicare claims data until 2017 of subjects who were free of outcomes at baseline on 1 January 1999. The main outcomes were the occurrence of cancer (among n = 17,332), angioedema (among n = 17,340), insomnia (among n = 17,340), depression (among n = 17,330), and erectile dysfunction (among n = 7,444 men) over 18 years of follow-up.

Results

The 18-year cumulative incidence rate of cancer other than non-melanoma skin cancer from Medicare inpatient claims was 23.9% for chlorthalidone, 23.4% for amlodipine, and 25.3% for lisinopril. There were no statistically significant differences in the 18-year risk of cancer, depression, and erectile dysfunction among the three drugs based on the adjusted hazard ratios. The adjusted 18-year risk of angioedema was elevated in those receiving lisinopril than in those receiving amlodipine (hazard ratio: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.14-2.33) or in those receiving chlorthalidone (1.33, 1.00-1.79), whereas the adjusted 18-year risk of insomnia was statistically significantly decreased in those receiving lisinopril than in those receiving amlodipine (0.90, 0.81-1.00).

Conclusions

The 18-year risk of angioedema was significantly higher in patients receiving lisinopril than in those receiving amlodipine or chlorthalidone; the risk of insomnia was significantly lower in patients receiving lisinopril than in those receiving amlodipine; and the risk of cancer, depression, and erectile dysfunction (in men) was not statistically significantly different among the three drug groups.

Thiazide and the Thiazide-Like Diuretics: Review of Hydrochlorothiazide, Chlorthalidone, and Indapamide

The term thiazide is universally understood to refer to diuretics that exert their principal action in the distal tubule. The thiazide class is heterogenous and can be further subdivided into compounds containing the benzothiadiazine ring structure-the thiazide-type (e.g., hydrochlorothiazide)-and those lacking the benzothiadiazine ring-the thiazide-like (e.g., chlorthalidone and indapamide) drugs. Thiazide-like agents are longer acting and constitute the diuretics used in most of the cardiovascular outcome trials that established benefits of treatment with diuretics, but pragmatic aspects, such as lack of availability in convenient formulations, limit their use. Regardless of class heterogeneity, thiazides have retained importance in the management of hypertension for over 60 years. They are reliably effective as monotherapy in a majority of hypertensive patients, and augment the efficacy of other classes of antihypertensives when used in combination. Importantly, a thiazide-based treatment regimen lowers cardiovascular events, and their sturdy effect reinforces their place among the recommended first-line agents to treat hypertension in major domestic and international hypertension guidelines. There are few head-to-head comparisons within the class, but potential differences have been explored indirectly as well as in non-blood pressure mechanisms and potential pleiotropic properties. Until proven otherwise, the importance of these differences remains speculative, and clinicians should assume that cardiovascular events will be lowered similarly across agents when equivalent blood pressure reduction occurs. Thiazides remain underutilized, with only about one-third of hypertensive patients receiving them. For many patients, however, a thiazide is an indispensable component of their regimen to achieve adequate blood pressure control.

Effects of Posttrial Antihypertensive Drugs on Morbidity and Mortality: Findings from 15-Year Passive Follow-Up after ALLHAT Ended

BACKGROUND

Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT) ended in 2002, but it is important to study its long-term outcomes during the posttrial period by incorporating posttrial antihypertensive medication uses in the analysis.

PURPOSES

The primary aim is to explore the patterns of antihypertensive medication use during the posttrial period from Medicare Part-D data over the 11-year period from 2007 to 2017. The secondary aim is to examine the potential effects of these posttrial antihypertensive medications on the observed mortality and morbidity benefits.

METHODS

This is a posttrial passive follow-up study of ALLHAT participants in 567 US centers in 1994-1998 with the last date of active in-trial follow-up on March 31, 2002, by linking with their Medicare and National Death Index data through 2017 among 8,007 subjects receiving antihypertensive drugs (3,637 for chlorthalidone, 2,189 for amlodipine, and 2,181 for lisinopril). Outcomes included posttrial antihypertensive drug use, all-cause mortality, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.

RESULTS

Of 8007 subjects, 3,637 participants were initially randomized to diuretic (chlorthalidone). The majority (67.9%) of them still received diuretics in 2007, and 52.7%, 47.2%, and 44.0% received β-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers (CCBs), respectively. Compared to participants who received diuretic-based antihypertensives, those who received CCB had a nonsignificantly higher risk of all-cause mortality (1.17, 0.99-1.37), whereas those who received ACE/ARB (angiotensin receptor blockers) had a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality (1.26, 1.09-1.45). For the combined fatal or nonfatal hospitalized events, the risk of CVD was significantly higher in patients receiving CCB (1.30, 1.04-1.61) and ACE/ARB (1.49, 1.22-1.81) as compared to patients receiving diuretics.

CONCLUSION

After the conclusion of the ALLHAT, almost all patients switched to combination antihypertensive therapies, independently by the original drug class, and the combination therapies (mostly based on diuretics) reduced the incidence of major cardiovascular outcomes and mortality.

Planning theory- and evidence-based behavior change interventions: a conceptual review of the intervention mapping protocol

This paper discusses the Intervention Mapping (IM) protocol for planning theory- and evidence-based behavior change interventions. IM has been developed in the field of health promotion in 1998 and has mostly been applied in that field, but applications in other fields are emerging. IM can be used for any intervention that involves changing behavior. The paper discusses the protocol and its basic issues and presents in-depth examples of its use in- and outside the health promotion field: Empowerment, return to work, safety interventions, implementation, energy conservation, and academic performance. IM is characterized by three perspectives: a social ecological approach, participation of all stakeholders, and the use of theories and evidence. Through a series of six iterative steps - from needs assessment to implementation and evaluation - which are each broken down into specific tasks, correct application of the protocol is meant to produce behavior change interventions that fit into the local context and that have the best chances of effectiveness. IM helps intervention planners develop the best possible interventions targeting health behaviors, but also targeting behaviors related to other societal issues, such as environmental concerns, safety and discrimination.

Comparative effectiveness of antihypertensive drugs in nondiabetic patients with hypertension: A population-based study

The authors compared the effectiveness of thiazide diuretic (TD), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), and calcium channel blocker (CCB) monotherapies for the treatment of nondiabetic hypertension using MarketScan Databases 2010-2014. Multivariable Cox regression models assessed whether the addition of a new antihypertensive drug, treatment discontinuation, or switch and major cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events varied across groups. A total of 565 009 patients started monotherapy with ACEIs (43.6%), CCBs (23.6%), TDs (18.8%), or ARBs (14.0%). Patients who took TDs had a higher risk for either drug addition or discontinuation than patients who took ACEIs (hazard ratio [HR], 0.69 [95% CI, 0.68-0.70] vs HR, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.80-0.81]), ARBs (HR, 0.67 [95% CI, 0.66-0.68] vs HR, 0.66 [95% CI, 0.65-0.67]), and CCBs (HR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.84-0.87] vs HR, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.93-0.95]). Conversely, patients who took TDs experienced a lower risk of clinical events compared with patients who took ACEIs (HR, 1.24 [95% CI, 1.15-1.33]), ARBs (HR, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.18-1.39]), and CCBs (HR, 1.35 [95% CI, 1.25-1.46]). Our results provide a strong rationale for choosing TDs as first-line monotherapy for the control of hypertension.

Modulatory effects of hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene on resistant hypertension patients

The present study explored the modulatory potential of hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene on resistant hypertension patients. The mechanistic information for resistant hypertension was explored by studying the pressure-natriuresis curves between the salt sensitive population and non-salt sensitive population. A cohort of 23 patients with non-hypertension (NH) (13 males and 10 females; aged from 23 to 62 years), 26 patients with controlled hypertension (CH) (14 males and 12 females; aged from 19 to 72 years) and 23 patients with resistant hypertension (RH) (13 males and 10 females; aged from 19 to 76 years) were selected. The patients were divided into two main groups on the basis of salt sensitivity viz. salt sensitive (SS) and non-SS (NSS) groups. These two groups were further classified into four subgroups based on the diuretic drug used. Hydrochlorothiazide-treated subgroups were named as salt sensitive hydrochlorothiazide (SSHy) and non-SSHy (NSSHy) groups. Similarly, triamterene-treated subgroups were named as salt sensitive triamterene (SSTr) and non-SSTr (NSSTr) groups. Treatment continued for 2 weeks and the pressure-natriuresis curves were recorded. Additionally, the plasma aldosterone and renin activity was monitored by radioimmunoassay. The pressure-natriuresis curves of the SS group were shifted towards the right relative to NSS group. On the other hand, hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene treatments reversed the changes of pressure-natriuresis curves. Moreover, significant differences were observed among various important indices including plasma aldosterone, renin activity, office blood pressure as evaluated by the chronic salt load test and diuretic intervention tests. The study concludes that hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene hold good potential as an efficient modulator of resistive hypertension.

Comparative effectiveness research and its utility in In-clinic practice

One of the important components of patient-centered healthcare is comparative effectiveness research (CER), which aims at generating evidence from the real-life setting. The primary purpose of CER is to provide comparative information to the healthcare providers, patients, and policy makers about the standard of care available. This involves research on clinical questions unanswered by the explanatory trials during the regulatory approval process. Main methods of CER involve randomized controlled trials and observational methods. The limitations of these two methods have been overcome with the help of new statistical methods. After the evidence generation, it is equally important to communicate the results to all the interested organizations. CER is beginning to have its impact in the clinical practice as its results become part of the clinical practice guidelines. CER will have far-reaching scientific and financial impact. CER will make both the treating physician and the patient equally responsible for the treatment offered.

Patterns and Correlates of Baseline Thiazide-Type Diuretic Prescription in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial

Thiazides and thiazide-type diuretics are recommended as first-line agents for the treatment of hypertension, but contemporary information on their use in clinical practice is lacking. We examined patterns and correlates of thiazide prescription in a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from participants enrolled in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT). We examined baseline prescription of thiazides in 7582 participants receiving at least 1 antihypertensive medication by subgroup, and used log-binomial regression to calculate adjusted prevalence ratios for thiazide prescription (versus no thiazide). Forty-three percent of all participants were prescribed a thiazide at baseline, but among participants prescribed a single agent, the proportion was only 16%. The prevalence of thiazide prescription differed significantly by demographic factors, with younger participants, women, and blacks all having higher adjusted prevalence of thiazide prescription than other corresponding subgroups. Participants in the lowest category of kidney function (estimated glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min per 1.73 m2) were half as likely to be prescribed a thiazide as participants with preserved kidney function. In conclusion, among persons with hypertension and heightened cardiovascular risk, we found that thiazide prescription varied significantly by demographics and kidney disease status, despite limited evidence about relative differences in effectiveness.

Comparison of the Effect of Thiazide Diuretics and Other Antihypertensive Drugs on Central Blood Pressure: Cross-Sectional Analysis Among Nondiabetic Patients

Thiazide diuretics (TDs) are a cost-effective first-line therapy for uncomplicated hypertension; however, they are less prescribed than other options. The authors aimed to assess the noninferiority of TDs relative to different classes of antihypertensive medications in relation to central blood pressure. Cross-sectional data from the Quebec CARTaGENE project was used. Nondiabetic hypertensive participants on monotherapy for hypertension were studied. Separate adjusted models were constructed to establish noninferiority of TDs to non-TD antihypertensive medications for central blood pressure measurements. Models included a set of potential confounders. Of the 1194 hypertensive participants, 7.4% were taking TDs. We found that TDs were comparable with non-TD antihypertensive medications for central systolic blood pressure (adjusted regression coefficient, 0.45; 95% confidence interval, -1.61 to 2.50). No differences in other central measurements were noted. The results provide additional support that TDs are at least as effective as other first-line medications for treating uncomplicated hypertension.

Patient-specific academic detailing for smoking cessation: feasibility study

OBJECTIVE

To describe and to determine the feasibility of a patient-specific academic detailing (PAD) smoking cessation (SC) program in a primary care setting.

DESIGN

Descriptive cohort feasibility study.

SETTING

Hamilton, Ont.

PARTICIPANTS

Pharmacists, physicians, nurse practitioners, and their patients.

INTERVENTIONS

Integrated pharmacists received basic academic detailing training and education on SC and then delivered PAD to prescribers using structured verbal education and written materials. Data were collected using structured forms.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Five main feasibility criteria were generated based on Canadian academic detailing programs: PAD coordinator time to train pharmacists less than 40 hours; median time of SC education per pharmacist less than 20 hours; median time per PAD session less than 60 minutes for initial visit; percentage of prescribers receiving PAD within 3 months greater than 50%; and number of new SC referrals to pharmacists at 6 months more than 10 patients per 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) pharmacist (total of approximately 30 patients).

RESULTS

Eight pharmacists (5.8 FTE) received basic academic detailing training and education on SC PAD. Forty-eight physicians and 9 nurse practitioners consented to participate in the study. The mean PAD coordinator training time was 29.1 hours. The median time for SC education was 3.1 hours. The median times for PAD sessions were 15 and 25 minutes for an initial visit and follow-up visit, respectively. The numbers of prescribers who had received PAD at 3 and 6 months were 50 of 64 (78.1%) and 57 of 64 (89.1%), respectively. The numbers of new SC referrals at 3 and 6 months were 11 patients per FTE pharmacist (total of 66 patients) and 34 patients per FTE pharmacist (total of 200 patients), respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study met the predetermined feasibility criteria with respect to the management, resources, process, and scientific components. Further study is warranted to determine whether PAD is more effective than conventional academic detailing.

Diuretic use in black patients with uncontrolled hypertension

BACKGROUND

Highly publicized recommendations favor the use of diuretics as a first-line or add-on agent in the management of hypertension, particularly among black patients and patients with resistant hypertension. Failure to follow such guidelines might contribute to high rates of uncontrolled hypertension. This study assessed diuretic prescribing patterns in a sample of black patients with uncontrolled hypertension who were identified from a population of home care recipients.

METHODS

The study was conducted in an urban home health organization. Participants were black, aged 21 to 80 years, and had a diagnosis of hypertension. Participants with uncontrolled hypertension were identified, and in-home interviewers collected information on prescribed antihypertensive medications.

RESULTS

Of 658 participants, 5.5% were not prescribed any antihypertensives, and only 46% were prescribed a diuretic. Participants who were not taking a diuretic were taking fewer antihypertensive medications (1.7 vs. 2.9; P < 0.0001), had a higher mean diastolic blood pressure (89.2 vs. 85.5; P = 0.0005), and were more likely to have a systolic blood pressure ≥160mm Hg (57.6% vs. 49.0%; P = 0.04). The adjusted mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were 5 and 4mm Hg lower, respectively, in patients who were taking a diuretic.

CONCLUSIONS

In this sample of black patients with uncontrolled hypertension, despite wide publicizing of the recommendations for use of diuretics, a majority are still not receiving a diuretic. This important issue merits continued attention.

Antihypertensive effect of a fixed-dose combination of losartan/hydrochlorothiazide in patients with uncontrolled hypertension: a multicenter study

BACKGROUND

Achieving adequate blood pressure (BP) control often requires more than one antihypertensive agent. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a fixed-dose formulation of losartan (LOS) plus hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) (LOS/HCTZ) is effective in achieving a greater BP lowering in patients with uncontrolled hypertension.

METHODS

The study was a prospective, multicenter, observational trial exploring the antihypertensive effect of a single tablet of LOS 50 mg/HCTZ 12.5 mg. A total of 228 patients whose BP had previously been treated with more than one antihypertensive agents without having achieved BP goal below 130/80 mmHg enrolled in the study.

RESULTS

A significant decrease in systolic and diastolic BP was observed in both clinic and home measurement after switching from the previous treatment to LOS/HCTZ. There was a significant decrease in both B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and urinary albumin creatinine (Cr) excretion ratio (ACR), especially in patients with elevated values. In contrast, there was a significant increase in serum Cr concentration in conjunction with a decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Overall serum uric acid (UA) concentration increased, whereas in patients with hyperuricemia there was a significant reduction in this value.

CONCLUSION

Switching to LOS/HCTZ provides a greater reduction in clinic and home BP in patients with uncontrolled hypertension. This combination therapy may lead to cardio-, reno protection and improve UA metabolism.

Advancing cardiovascular research

Over the past 50 years, we have seen dramatic changes in cardiovascular science and clinical care, accompanied by marked declines in the morbidity and mortality. Nonetheless, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death and disability in the world, and its nature is changing as Americans become older, fatter, and ethnically more diverse. Instead of young or middle-aged men with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, the "typical" cardiac patient now presents with acute coronary syndrome or with complications related to chronic hypertension or ischemic heart disease, including heart failure, sudden death, and atrial fibrillation. Analogously, structural heart disease is now dominated by degenerative valve or congenital disease, far more common than rheumatic disease. The changing clinical scene presents cardiovascular scientists with a number of opportunities and challenges, including taking advantage of high-throughput technologies to elucidate complex disease mechanisms, accelerating development and implementation of evidence-based strategies, assessing evolving technologies of unclear value, addressing a global epidemic of cardiovascular disease, and maintaining high levels of innovation in a time of budgetary constraint and economic turmoil.

Half a century of hydrochlorothiazide: facts, fads, fiction, and follies

Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) has become by far the most commonly prescribed antihypertensive drug in the US. In 2008, 47.8 million prescriptions were written for HCTZ alone and 87.1 million prescriptions for HCTZ combinations. However, there is no evidence that HCTZ in its usual dose of 12.5-25 mg daily reduces myocardial infarction, stroke, or death. In a meta-analysis of 19 randomized trials with over 1400 patients, the 24-hour decrease in blood pressure with HCTZ was inferior to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers (P <.001 for all). Even in combination with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, HCTZ was found to reduce morbidity and mortality less well than a calcium channel blocker. As measured by the adherence rate, thiazides are less well tolerated than any other drug class. Because outcome data at the usual daily dose of 12.5-25 mg are lacking, antihypertensive efficacy is paltry, and adherence is poor, HCTZ is an inappropriate first-line drug in hypertension. If a "thiazide-type" diuretic is indicated, either chlorthalidone or indapamide should be selected.

Change in antihypertensive drug prescribing after guideline implementation: a controlled before and after study

Background

Antihypertensive drug choices and treatment levels are not in accordance with the existing guidelines. We aimed to assess the impact of a guideline implementation intervention on antihypertensive drug prescribing.

Methods

In this controlled before and after study, the effects of a multifaceted (education, audit and feedback, local care pathway) quality programme was evaluated. The intervention was carried out in a health centre between 2002 and 2003. From each health care unit (n = 31), a doctor-nurse pair was trained to act as peer facilitators in the intervention.

All antihypertensive drugs prescribed by 25 facilitator general practitioners (intervention GPs) and 53 control GPs were retrieved from the nationwide Prescription Register for three-month periods in 2001 and 2003. The proportions of patients receiving specific antihypertensive drugs and multiple antihypertensive drugs were measured before and after the intervention for three subgroups of hypertension patients: hypertension only, with coronary heart disease, and with diabetes.

Results

In all subgroups, the use of multiple concurrent medications increased. For intervention patients with hypertension only, the odds ratio (OR) was 1.12 (95% CI 0.99, 1.25; p = 0.06) and for controls 1.13 (1.05, 1.21; p = 0.002). We observed no statistically significant differences in the change in the prescribing of specific antihypertensive agents between the intervention and control groups. The use of agents acting on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system increased in all subgroups (hypertension only intervention patients OR 1.19 (1.06, 1.34; p = 0.004) and controls OR 1.24 (1.15, 1.34; p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

A multifaceted guideline implementation intervention does not necessarily lead to significant changes in prescribing performance. Rigorous planning of the interventions and quality projects and their evaluation are essential.

ALLHAT: still providing correct answers after 7 years

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT) is re-evaluated considering information from recent subgroup and exploratory analyses, other new clinical trials, and meta-analyses. The ALLHAT analyses specifically emphasize heart failure findings, results in Black participants and those with chronic kidney disease, selection and doses of thiazide and similar diuretics, and the association of antihypertensive drug use with new-onset diabetes and its cardiovascular consequences.

RECENT FINDINGS

The initial ALLHAT conclusion, that thiazide diuretics are superior to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), calcium antagonists (CCBs) and alpha-blockers in preventing one or more major clinical outcomes, including heart failure and stroke, and unsurpassed in significantly preventing any cardiovascular or renal outcome, has been further validated for patients with diabetes, renal disease, and/or metabolic syndrome. The evidence is even more compelling for Black patients. New-onset diabetes associated with thiazides did not increase cardiovascular outcomes. The diuretic was superior to all in preventing heart failure with preserved left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and similar to the ACEI in preventing heart failure with impaired LVEF. It was also unsurpassed in preventing atrial fibrillation.

SUMMARY

The totality of evidence re-affirms the initial ALLHAT conclusion that thiazide and similar diuretics (at evidence-based doses) are the preferred first-step therapy in most patients with hypertension.

Translation of hypertension treatment guidelines into practice: a review of implementation

Compared with the history of national guideline development, the science attached to implementation of guidelines is relatively new. Effectiveness of a highly evidence-based guideline, such as the 8th Joint National Committee recommendations on the treatment of high blood pressure, depends on successful translation into clinical practice. Implementation relies on several steps: clear and executable guideline language, audit and feedback attached to education of practitioners charged with carrying out the guidelines, team-based care delivery, credibility of blood pressure measurement, and measures to address therapeutic inertia and medication adherence. An evolving role of the electronic health record and patient empowerment are developments that will further promote implementation of the hypertension guideline. Further research will be needed to assess the efficacy and cost effectiveness of various implementation tools and strategies.

'Bench to behavior': translating comparative effectiveness research into improved clinical practice

The new national emphasis on comparative effectiveness research is likely to generate an unprecedented volume of new findings. It is essential to anticipate the obstacles that front-line health care professionals will face in translating these results into better clinical decision making. We review the current barriers to the dissemination of evidence-based clinical recommendations, including problems with continuing medical education, provider incentives, and quality assurance. We then propose solutions, including more effective educational outreach programs, requirements for practitioners to master important findings, and alignment of incentives to encourage evidence-based practice. Such strategies can lead to policies that could encourage the uptake of new comparative effectiveness data and encourage their translation into better clinical practice.

Academic Detailing and the IDEA Act

Welcome to the inaugural column of RxLegal. This quarterly column will discuss a wide range of legal topics of interest to the pharmacy community. In this installment, the impact of potential federal funding for academic detailing through the Independent Drug Education and Outreach Act (IDEA) on the practice of pharmacy will be reviewed.