Abstract

ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
Hypertension is a challenge for public health professionals all over the world and it is often poorly controlled in clinical practice and to achieve control, hypertensive patients should actively participate in the plan of management through being educated and monitored at follow-up appointments.
AIM OF THE STUDY: 
To shine a light on a sample of hypertensive patients, tracing knowledge about follow-up visits practicing, and identifying the factors that influence their practice.
PATIENTS & METHODS:
A cross-sectional study was carried out on 300 outpatient hypertensive patients aged eighteen years and above of both sexes who were known to be hypertensive for not less than one year and on antihypertensive treatment, attended Al- Imamein Kadhimien Medical City and interviewed face to face by using a detailed questionnaire.
RESULTS:
The majority of the participants had hypertension for less than 5 years (43%), family history in   (69%), and (57.3%) had knowledge about hypertensive complications. Patients with regular visits constituted (65.7%)  whom the private sector represented the main health care provider (65.5%) of the sample. Diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, knowledge of hypertension complications and educational level were statistically significantly associated w follow-up w up visits.
CONCLUSION:
the private health sector providers were the preferred side follow-up for 2/3 of the patients. Educational level was inversely associated with regularity of visits, while diabetes and cardiovascular diseases were proportionally associated with the follow-up visit of the patient’s family and friends comprised the main source of information about hypertensive complications rather than health care providers.