OBJECTIVES: This study aim to investigate the pattern and determinants of Korean Medicine usage by the Patients with hypertension in Republic of Korea. We also did subgroup analysis based on the proportion of Korean Medicine (KM) therapy between conventional treatment group and non-conventional treatment group.

METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional analysis conducted using the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010-2014). Hypertension was defined as a blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or more or being on antihypertensive medications. Patients with hypertension over 20 years of age who had history of outpatient medical services use were selected. KM therapy included all kind of treatments that can be received at the Korean medical institution. non-conventional treatment group took antihypertensive medications during under 20 days per month. Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used for statisticl analysis using R(version 3.3.3).

RESULTS: Among a total of 3,892 hypertension patients in 2010-2014, 396 patients of these (10.17%) were treated with KM therapy. Compared with patients without KM use, patients with KM use were significantly associated with high income level (aOR: 1.351, CI: 1.063-1.716), poor perceived health status (aOR: 1.446, CI:1.096-1.907) and obesity (aOR:1.356, CI:1.051-1.749). In the result of subgroup analysis, 293 patients (9.97%) of the conventional treatment group and 103 patients (10.82%) of the non-conventional treatment group treated with KM therapy.

CONCLUSIONS: About 10% of hypertension patients used KM, and both combination therapy of KM and conventional medicine and KM therapy only were increasing. Therefore, further research on the outcome of using KM therapy is needed.