Table 1.
Mean ratings (±SD) of importance of features when choosing an agent
| Feature | Any antihypertensive agent | β‐blockers | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiologist | PCP | Cardiologist | PCP | |
| Reduction in heart rate | 11.4 ± 11.9 | 9.9 ± 8.7 | 14.4 ± 13.4 | 18.3 ± 17.8 |
| Efficacy in patients aged >60 y | 10.6 ± 10.6 | 12.5 ± 10.8 | 10.1 ± 11.0 | 11.6 ± 10.5 |
| Other side effects[Link] | 10.0 ± 10.8 | 10.3 ± 8.1 | 9.5 ± 9.6 | 11.7 ± 8.1 |
| β1‐selectivity | NA | NA | 10.2 ± 8.3 | 10.3 ± 9.2 |
| Impact on fatigue/energy | 10.3 ± 8.5 | 8.8 ± 6.5 | 11.6 ± 9.8a | 8.9 ± 6.6 |
| Impact on arterial vasodilation | 11.0 ± 10.0 | 9.8 ± 9.3 | 12.0 ± 13.8b | 6.0 ± 5.1 |
| Efficacy in African American patients | 8.8 ± 6.9 | 10.2 ± 8.3 | 6.5 ± 6.1 | 7.6 ± 7.2 |
| Impact on diuresis | 9.2 ± 9.5 | 7.8 ± 5.4 | NA | NA |
| Impact on sleep or mood[Link] | 5.4 ± 4.9 | 5.6 ± 4.9 | 7.7 ± 6.4 | 6.0 ± 6.5 |
| Impact on glucose | 5.7 ± 5.7 | 7.5 ± 7.1 | 4.9 ± 4.7 | 6.1 ± 6.8 |
| Impact on weight | 4.9 ± 4.7 | 5.6 ± 5.0 | 5.1 ± 6.9 | 5.1 ± 5.2 |
| Impact on lipids | 5.6 ± 4.8 | 5.6 ± 4.4 | 4.4 ± 4.7 | 5.2 ± 4.8 |
| Impact on reducing/blocking aldosterone | 7.1 ± 7.0 | 6.5 ± 6.2 | 3.6 ± 4.2 | 3.2 ± 4.1 |
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; NA, not applicable; PCP, primary care physician; SD, standard deviation.
QB4/10. Thinking about all the treatment classes/β‐blockers you currently use to treat hypertension, from the list of features below, please rate how important each is on your decision to use a particular agent/β‐blocker for hypertensive patients, allocating 100 points across the features. The higher the number of points you allocate to a feature, the greater importance it has.
Examples include COPD exacerbation, dyspnea, or erectile dysfunction.
Example includes depression.
a
P < 0.05.
b
P < 0.01 vs PCP.