Factors associated with hospital admissions due to hypertension

OBJECTIVE: To study the temporality of hospital admissions due to arterial hypertension and its associated factors. METHODS: An ecological study with secondary data on hospital admissions due to essential arterial hypertension – ICD 10, from the Hospital Information System, the Mortality Information System and and the Primary Care Information System, between 2010 and 2015. Descriptive analysis using means, proportions and linear regression. RESULTS: We recorded 493,299 hospitalizations due to arterial hypertension from 2010 to 2015, with an average annual progressive cost decrease of −7.76% and −24.21%. Of the patients admitted, 59.2% were women, 60.2% were non-white and 54.7% were older than 60 years. The mean length of stay was 4.2 days, and the hospitalization cost was R$307.60. The multiple linear regression variables that remained significant were the percentage of admissions due to primary care-sensitive conditions, the per capita income and the City Human Development Index. CONCLUSION: Hospital admissions due to arterial hypertension have an impact on the percentage of admissions due to primary care- sensitive conditions. Intensifying primary care activities, raising-awareness among professionals to the importance of integrated care, and investing in social development are crucial to change the reality of hypertension in terms of its control and complications.