IMPROVING THE METHODOLOGY OF CONTINUOUS MEDICAL EDUCATION IN THE CONTEXT OF ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION TREATMENT

Aim. To assess the role of the algorithm-based selection of antihypertensive therapy (AHT) and the continuous medical education in the treatment of arterial hypertension (AH).

Material and methods. Based on the autopsy data, we analysed the prevalence of AH and the structure of its complications and comorbidities among 3239 patients of a multidisciplinary Moscow City hospital. We also analysed the practices of preceding ambulatory AHT and conducted the survey on the quality of continuous medical education lectures delivered to internal medicine specialists working at polyclinics.

Results. Among patients who died from cardiovascular disease, a high prevalence of AH (96,1%) was combined with prevalent target organ damage (TOD), a strong association between blood pressure (BP) levels and the risk of major cardiovascular events, and a wide range of comorbidities and AH complications. There was a lack of universal AHT schemes and regimens for patients of similar age, gender, and nature and severity of comorbidities.

Conclusion. Achievement of target BP levels failed to prevent major cardiovascular events which resulted in fatal outcomes. AHT was administered without adequate consideration of organo-protective and pleiotropic effects of antihypertensive medications. The development of an algorithm which considered age, gender, TOD presence, and previous major cardiovascular events in the selection of AHT had improved the doctors’ understanding of the lecture information. 

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