Screening for hypertension: a survey in the Hunter health region 1976-77.

15,746 people had their blood pressure measured in a hypertensive screening programme conducted in the Hunter Region of New South Wales. High blood pressure readings were found in 10.4 per cent (1,634) of the screened population. Followup information received from local general practitioners indicated that, of screened subjects attending the general practitioner following a higher screening reading, only 55.3 per cent were diagnosed as hypertensive, of whom 62 per cent had been diagnosed previously by their general practitioner. No diagnosis could be made in 20.5 per cent of the cases. A diagnosis of 'normotensive' was made for the remaining 24.2 per cent of screened subjects attending the general practitioner following a high screening reading. The value of screening programmes for hypertension is debated in view of the small number of newly detected hypertensives, the even smaller number of newly detected and successfully treated hypertensives and the morbidity associated with detection and labelling of hypertensive patients.