WHAT DID THE LAST 10, 000 PATIENTS TEACH US?

The Hypertension Outpatient Clinic in Split, Croatia, established in 1975, published its first operative studies more than 20 (Acta Med Salin 1980 ; 9:33-44), and then 10 years ago (Lijec Vjesn 1993 ; 115:30-4). In the following 10 year period (1993-2003) 10, 000 patient data were analyzed from the protocols. In this period the female sex was preponderant (50.3% vs. earlier 33.7% ; p 0.05), and had grade I/II hypertension (57.2% vs. 58.0% ; p>0.05). The eye-ground changes in most current patients were either nonexistent (42.9%) or minimal (up to grade II 56.8% of the examinees). The significant, grade III/IV changes marginally increased in the last 10 years (0.75% vs. 0.65% ; p=0.51). The ECG tracings were mostly normal (61.5 %), and LVH prevalence decreased (14.5% vs. 19.9% ; p<0.0001). Essential hypertension is still by far the most prevalent moiety (96.0% vs. 96.3% ; p=0.71), and the curable forms of secondary hypertension (less than 1/5 of all the secondary forms) remain rare.