Examining the Effect of Treatment on the Distribution of Blood Pressure in the Population Using Observational Data

• Other Authors: Kucukemiroglu, Saryet Alexa (author)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Biometry
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_FALL2017_Kucukemiroglu_fsu_0071E_14275

Since the introduction of anti-hypertensive medications in the mid-1950s, there has been an increased use of blood pressure medications in the US. The growing use of anti-hypertensive treatment has affected the distribution of blood pressure in the population over time. Now observational data no longer reflect natural blood pressure levels. Our goal is to examine the effect of anti-hypertensive drugs on distributions of blood pressure using several well-known observational studies. The statistical concept of censoring is used to estimate the distribution of blood pressure in populations if no treatment were available. The treated and estimated untreated distributions are then compared to determine the general effect of these medications in the population. Our analyses show that these drugs have an increasing impact on controlling blood pressure distributions in populations that are heavily treated. === A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Statistics in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. === Fall Semester 2017. === November 15, 2017. === Includes bibliographical references. === Daniel McGee, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Elizabeth Slate, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Myra M. Hurt, University Representative; Fred Huffer, Committee Member.