Compliance with standard treatment guidelines in the management of hypertension: a review of practice of healthcare workers in Potchefstroom, North West Province, South Africa

Abstract

Introduction: Hypertension is a leading lifestyle disease and major cause of morbidity and mortality in South Africa, and globally. Standard Treatment Guidelines are issued in this country to assist healthcare workers in the diagnosis and management thereof. Considering the debilitating effects caused by hypertension, the objectives were to find out whether healthcare workers diagnose and manage hypertension correctly in terms of compliance with the guidelines.