Predictive Models for Sustained, Uncontrolled Hypertension and Hypertensive Crisis Based on Electronic Health Record Data: Algorithm Development and Validation

Background: Assessing disease progression among patients with uncontrolled hypertension is important for identifying opportunities for intervention.

Objective: We aim to develop and validate 2 models, one to predict sustained, uncontrolled hypertension (≥2 blood pressure [BP] readings ≥140/90 mm Hg or ≥1 BP reading ≥180/120 mm Hg) and one to predict hypertensive crisis (≥1 BP reading ≥180/120 mm Hg) within 1 year of an index visit (outpatient or ambulatory encounter in which an uncontrolled BP reading was recorded).

Methods: Data from 142,897 patients with uncontrolled hypertension within Atrium Health Greater Charlotte in 2018 were used. Electronic health record-based predictors were based on the 1-year period before a patient's index visit. The dataset was randomly split (80:20) into a training set and a validation set. In total, 4 machine learning frameworks were considered: L2-regularized logistic regression, multilayer perceptron, gradient boosting machines, and random forest. Model selection was performed with 10-fold cross-validation. The final models were assessed on discrimination (C-statistic), calibration (eg, integrated calibration index), and net benefit (with decision curve analysis). Additionally, internal-external cross-validation was performed at the county level to assess performance with new populations and summarized using random-effect meta-analyses.

Results: In internal validation, the C-statistic and integrated calibration index were 0.72 (95% CI 0.71-0.72) and 0.015 (95% CI 0.012-0.020) for the sustained, uncontrolled hypertension model, and 0.81 (95% CI 0.79-0.82) and 0.009 (95% CI 0.007-0.011) for the hypertensive crisis model. The models had higher net benefit than the default policies (ie, treat-all and treat-none) across different decision thresholds. In internal-external cross-validation, the pooled performance was consistent with internal validation results; in particular, the pooled C-statistics were 0.70 (95% CI 0.69-0.71) and 0.79 (95% CI 0.78-0.81) for the sustained, uncontrolled hypertension model and hypertensive crisis model, respectively.

Conclusions: An electronic health record-based model predicted hypertensive crisis reasonably well in internal and internal-external validations. The model can potentially be used to support population health surveillance and hypertension management. Further studies are needed to improve the ability to predict sustained, uncontrolled hypertension.