Epidemiology and clinical characteristics of hypertensive patients attending urgent care clinics at a primary healthcare center: A retrospective study

Abstract BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a major public health challenge, particularly in Saudi Arabia, where control rates remain suboptimal. Aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological characteristics and clinical presentation of hypertensive patients visiting the urgent care clinic at a primary healthcare center in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included all patients with documented diagnoses of hypertension who attended the urgent care clinic of a single primary healthcare center in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, between July 1, 2023, and April 30, 2025. Data were obtained from the TrakCare® electronic health record system and included demographics, clinical characteristics, and visit details. Data analyzed using Stata version 15; initial analysis included descriptive statistics. Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test, as appropriate, assessed the association between hypertension type and other categorical variables. To compare qualitative data between groups, independent sample t-test or Mann–Whitney U test was used. RESULTS: Of 542 visits, 95.9% were on account of primary hypertension. Patients with secondary hypertension were younger (46.5 ± 14.6 years vs. 52.9 ± 13.4 years; P = 0.03) and were more likely to be male ( P = 0.04). Hypertensive crises accounted for 19.7% of all visits, with most cases being due to primary hypertension (82.2%); however, the proportion of crises was substantially higher in patients with secondary hypertension (86.4% vs. 16.9%). Medication refills were the most common reason for visit (69.7%). Captopril 25 mg was most frequently administered (19.2%) medication. Secondary hypertension was associated with higher triage acuity ( P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Primary hypertension predominates in urgent care, but secondary hypertension presents with higher acuity. High medication refill visits highlight gaps in the continuity of chronic care. Enhanced patient education and care coordination are recommended.