OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of hospitalizations due to complications of arterial hypertension in individuals in the primary health care network and to identify the associated factors. METHODS: Cross-sectional study including 422 hypertensive individuals, who were randomly and proportionally selected from a municipality in the south of Brazil, considering the number of patients admitted in each basic health care unit. Data were collected from medical records and questionnaires completed by participants in their home. RESULTS: Some factors associated with hospitalization are modifiable and susceptible to intervention, indicating the need for a differentiated attitude of health professionals towards hypertensive individuals, especially men, the elderly and those who present with comorbidities. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of hospitalization in the last 12 months was 12.08% and was found to be significantly higher among men, people aged 60 years or older, those noncompliant with drug therapy and those who presented comorbidities along with uncontrolled blood pressure.
Hypertension; Hospitalization; Public health nursing; Primary care nursing; Nursing care
