Table 2

Suggested performance measures for the implementation of the recommendations on screening for high BP in adult Canadians

PERFORMANCE INDICATOR	INCLUSION	TECHNICAL NOTES
The proportion of patients aged 18 y and older in a primary care practice who have at least 1 documented BP measurement in the past 24 mo	Include age ≥ 18 y; and patients with normal BP and those with history of elevated BP Exclude patients with previously diagnosed hypertension	Links to recommendation 1 Evidence-based targets are not available Creating targets should depend on the population being cared for, and targets might vary by age group and presence of comorbidities
The proportion of patients aged 18 y and older with elevated BP on screening who have documentation of further assessment to determine whether the patient meets diagnostic criteria for hypertension as defined in the most current CHEP recommendations for assessment and diagnosis of hypertension	Include all patients with documented elevated BP who have not been formally diagnosed with hypertension Exclude patients with normal BP; and patients with previously diagnosed hypertension	Links to recommendations 2 and 3 Evidence-based targets are not available The targets should be close to 100% for all patients, as this cohort includes only patients with elevated BP The CHEP guidelines indicate that follow-up visits be scheduled for people with elevated BP to specifically measure BP; at the initial visit for the assessment of hypertension, if SBP is > 140 mm Hg or DBP is > 90 mm Hg, at least 2 more readings should be taken during the same visit using a validated device and according to the recommended procedure for accurate BP measurement
The proportion of the population with a new diagnosis of hypertension in the past 24 mo	Include age ≥ 18 y; and patients with normal BP and those with history of elevated BP Exclude patients with diagnosis of hypertension made outside the designated 24-mo time frame	Intermediate-term outcome that links to recommendations 1 and 2 Current Public Health Agency of Canada surveillance data (released in 2010)³¹ indicated there were slightly more than 45 000 new cases of stroke in 2006–2007, and an age-standardized incidence rate of 25.8 per 1000 population for 12 mo

PERFORMANCE INDICATOR

INCLUSION

TECHNICAL NOTES

The proportion of patients aged 18 y and older in a primary care practice who have at least 1 documented BP measurement in the past 24 mo

Include

age ≥ 18 y; and
patients with normal BP and those with history of elevated BP

Exclude

patients with previously diagnosed hypertension

Links to recommendation 1
Evidence-based targets are not available
Creating targets should depend on the population being cared for, and targets might vary by age group and presence of comorbidities

The proportion of patients aged 18 y and older with elevated BP on screening who have documentation of further assessment to determine whether the patient meets diagnostic criteria for hypertension as defined in the most current CHEP recommendations for assessment and diagnosis of hypertension

Include

all patients with documented elevated BP who have not been formally diagnosed with hypertension

Exclude

patients with normal BP; and
patients with previously diagnosed hypertension

Links to recommendations 2 and 3
Evidence-based targets are not available
The targets should be close to 100% for all patients, as this cohort includes only patients with elevated BP
The CHEP guidelines indicate that follow-up visits be scheduled for people with elevated BP to specifically measure BP; at the initial visit for the assessment of hypertension, if SBP is > 140 mm Hg or DBP is > 90 mm Hg, at least 2 more readings should be taken during the same visit using a validated device and according to the recommended procedure for accurate BP measurement

The proportion of the population with a new diagnosis of hypertension in the past 24 mo

Include

age ≥ 18 y; and
patients with normal BP and those with history of elevated BP

Exclude

patients with diagnosis of hypertension made outside the designated 24-mo time frame

Intermediate-term outcome that links to recommendations 1 and 2
Current Public Health Agency of Canada surveillance data (released in 2010)³¹ indicated there were slightly more than 45 000 new cases of stroke in 2006–2007, and an age-standardized incidence rate of 25.8 per 1000 population for 12 mo

BP—blood pressure, CHEP—Canadian Hypertension Education Program, DBP—diastolic blood pressure, SBP—systolic blood pressure.