A scoping review of specialist hypertension clinics

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is an important preventable risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney disease, with limited data regarding the impact on blood pressure (BP) control following management in specialist hypertension clinics globally. AIMS: To summarise current literature on BP outcomes in SHCs and identify gaps in evidence. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines on primary studies describing specialist hypertension clinics (SHCs) and BP outcomes in three indexed databases (PubMed, EBM and Embase). RESULTS: The scoping review (n = 2225) yielded 12 studies, of which only three (25%) were randomised controlled trials. The studies had a median duration of 12 (interquartile range 8-12) months, and 10 (83.3%) studies reported improved BP control at follow-up. Eight (80%) studies reported significant reductions in systolic BP, while two (20%) reported that >50% of participants achieved target BP. CONCLUSIONS: The scoping review highlighting definitional variations, suggests that SHCs may be effective at improving BP control in the short term. It further highlights the need for further research to determine whether the short-term improvement is sustained in the long term.