Table II.
Medical Care Provided Among Hypertension Visits by Physicians’ Specialty, NAMCS 2003–2005
| GP/Family | Internist | Cardiologist | Others | P Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test ordered, % | |||||
| Cholesterol | 25.0 (1.4) | 27.0 (2.0) | 17.9 (2.1) | 12.8 (2.4) | <.001 |
| Glucose | 15.6 (1.2) | 19.1 (2.0) | 7.2 (1.4) | 12.0 (2.5) | .002 |
| ECG | 5.9 (0.8) | 7.4 (1.0) | 27.8 (3.8) | 3.7 (1.3) | <.001 |
| Medications, % | |||||
| Antihypertensive | 72.3 (2.1) | 69.9 (2.7) | 78.2 (4.1) | 65.0 (3.9) | .165 |
| Antilipidemic | 23.7 (1.4) | 28.7 (2.2) | 38.3 (2.8) | 25.1 (2.4) | .001 |
| Aspirin | 11.1 (1.2) | 16.1 (2.1) | 32.1 (3.2) | 16.4 (2.7) | <.001 |
| Diuretics | 18.9 (1.5) | 19.5 (1.9) | 24.9 (2.0) | 19.1 (2.5) | .317 |
| CCBs | 18.5 (1.2) | 21.1 (1.5) | 26.5 (2.2) | 21.9 (2.4) | .041 |
| β‐Blockers | 18.2 (1.3) | 22.5 (1.6) | 36.2 (2.6) | 19.7 (2.7) | <.001 |
| α‐Blockers | 7.7 (0.8) | 6.9 (0.9) | 15.5 (1.3) | 13.0 (2.0) | <.001 |
| ACE inhibitors | 26.7 (1.5) | 24.4 (1.6) | 31.5 (2.4) | 19.4 (2.4) | .014 |
| Counseling, % | |||||
| Diet/nutrition | 33.4 (2.1) | 29.7 (2.5) | 31.1 (3.9) | 29.1 (4.8) | .648 |
| Exercise | 23.7 (1.9) | 21.3 (2.5) | 23.0 (3.6) | 14.3 (2.7) | .121 |
Abbreviations: ACE, angiotensin‐converting enzyme; CCBs, calcium channel blockers; ECG, electrocardiography; GP, general practice; NAMCS, National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Values are expressed as percentage (standard error).