Table 3. Initiation of Antihypertensive Medication With a β-Blocker Among Those Initiating Antihypertensive Monotherapy and, Separately, Initiating Combination Therapy.
| Variable | Prevalence ratio (95% CI)a,b | |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficiaries initiating monotherapy (n = 31 909) | Beneficiaries initiating combination therapy (n = 9431) | |
| Initiated antihypertensive medication after vs before publication of JNC8 panel member reportc | 0.89 (0.84 0.93) | 1.05 (0.97 1.14) |
| Race/ethnicity | ||
| White | 1 [Reference] | 1 [Reference] |
| Black | 0.83 (0.70-0.99) | 0.87 (0.73-1.05) |
| Other | 0.90 (0.70-1.17) | 1.50 (1.09-2.06) |
| Age, y | ||
| 65-69 | 1 [Reference] | 1 [Reference] |
| 70-74 | 1.02 (0.96-1.09) | 1.04 (0.94-1.14) |
| 75-79 | 0.99 (0.92-1.06) | 0.98 (0.88-1.10) |
| 80-84 | 1.06 (0.98-1.14) | 1.24 (1.10-1.39) |
| ≥85 | 0.93 (0.86-1.01) | 1.30 (1.17-1.46) |
| Male | 0.89 (0.85-0.94) | 0.99 (0.92-1.07) |
| Geographical region of residence | ||
| West South Central | 1 [Reference] | 1 [Reference] |
| Mountain | 0.88 (0.77-1.00) | 1.08 (0.89-1.30) |
| East South Central | 1.03 (0.92-1.15) | 1.00 (0.84-1.19) |
| Middle Atlantic | 1.09 (1.00-1.20) | 1.20 (1.04-1.39) |
| South Atlantic | 0.94 (0.86-1.02) | 1.11 (0.97-1.26) |
| West North Central | 1.12 (1.00-1.25) | 1.28 (1.09-1.51) |
| East North Central | 1.08 (0.99-1.19) | 1.24 (1.08-1.42) |
| Pacific | 0.91 (0.83-1.01) | 0.98 (0.83-1.15) |
| New England | 1.08 (0.96-1.22) | 1.37 (1.13-1.66) |
| Cardiologist care | 1.60 (1.52-1.68) | 1.50 (1.37-1.63) |
| Endocrinologist care | 1.09 (0.97-1.22) | 0.99 (0.79-1.24) |
| Nephrologist care | 0.88 (0.66-1.16) | 0.85 (0.52-1.36) |
| Medicare-Medicaid eligible/low income subsidy | 0.92 (0.87-0.98) | 1.26 (1.16-1.37) |
| Area-level median income, $ | ||
| <25 000 | 1 [Reference] | 1 [Reference] |
| 25 000-49 999 | 1.74 (1.21-2.51) | 0.93 (0.70-1.22) |
| 50 000-74 999 | 1.75 (1.21-2.52) | 0.84 (0.63-1.11) |
| ≥75 000 | 1.67 (1.15-2.41) | 0.85 (0.64-1.13) |
Abbreviations: JNC8, Eighth Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure.
Prevalence ratios adjusted for antihypertensive medication initiation period, race/ethnicity, antihypertensive medication initiation period × race/ethnicity, age, sex, geographic region of residence, cardiologist care, endocrinologist care, nephrologist care, dual eligibility for Medicare-Medicaid/low income subsidy, and residence area-level median income.
P values for interaction for initiating antihypertensive medication after vs before December 18, 2013: by Black vs White race/ethnicity for monotherapy, P = .30; by other vs White race/ethnicity for monotherapy, P = .48; by Black vs White race/ethnicity for combination therapy, P = .52; by other vs White race/ethnicity for combination therapy, P = .06.
The JNC8 panel member report was published online December 18, 2013.