Abstract 582P
Background
Onco-hypertension, an emerging specialty, requires interdisciplinary collaboration among oncologists, general physicians, cardiologists and nephrologists. Our cross-sectional study investigates knowledge, attitude and practices of onco hypertension among physicians in Pakistan.
Methods
An IRB-approved cross-sectional study based on a self-structured questionnaire was conducted among 200 physicians in tertiary care hospitals in Pakistan. Data was analyzed using R software, using descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, and Fisher’s Exact Test, with a significance level set at p<0.05.
Results
Out of 200 physicians, 49% perceived their knowledge of onco hypertension as average, 27% as below average, and 13% above average. Only 1% considered their knowledge good, while 10% had poor knowledge. Regarding physician encounters with onco hypertension patients, 65% of those with average knowledge and all physicians with good knowledge encountered these patients sometimes. Treatment difficulty correlated with knowledge level (p<0.001):63% of those with average knowledge, 8% of those with above-average knowledge, 78% of those with below-average knowledge, 80% of those with poor knowledge,50% of those with good knowledge faced difficulty. Diagnosis challenges also varied significantly (p=0.003) by knowledge. 42% of participants who reported no difficulty sometimes faced challenges in diagnosing onco hypertension while 3.3% of participants who reported difficulty did not face challenges at all. Regarding management 47% prescribed standard antihypertensive, 63% adjusted medications based on ongoing cancer treatments while 42% of respondents sought consultations with oncologists to manage uncontrolled hypertension in cancer patients. An overwhelming 80% agreed on the necessity of interdisciplinary coordination in managing onco hypertension.
Conclusions
Adequate knowledge and effective management of onco-hypertension is crucial, as it can significantly impact cancer treatment outcomes.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The authors.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.