Abstract
Problem statement: Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for heart and cardiovascular diseases in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of antihypertensive medications in UAE private hospitals is important. The importance arises because of the high prevalence of hypertension in this multicultural region. This study evaluated the use of antihypertensive medications among patients suffering from hypertension alone or with other medical conditions. Approach: A prospective observational study was conducted using 400 hypertensive inpatients randomly selected from private hospitals to evaluate the safety and efficacy of antihypertensive medications in UAE. Patients were diagnosed to have hypertension with or without other medical conditions and both males and females were included in the study. The study included all nationalities that live in the UAE. All data were collected either from patient's files, interviewing physicians, nurses or by interviewing the patients during the period of admission. Results: Analysis of the 400 patients revealed that most of them were male (87.5%), Arabs (45%), Indians and Pakistan (37.5%) and Asians (10%). A correlation exists between certain factors and the prevalence of hypertension like nationality, age, gender and occupation. Family history of hypertension is important to determine the genetic inheritance of hypertension, 82% of hypertensive patients with or without other medical conditions had a family history of hypertension (23% of them had fathers suffering from hypertension, 23% had mothers with hypertension and 36.4% having both parents with hypertension. There was no statistical significant difference in DBP between female and male patients (mean DBP; 79 Vs 82.9 mmHg respectively, p = 0.076), but there was a difference in the mean SBP between females and males (mean SBP 149 Vs 138 mmHg respectively, p-value = 0.044). The reported adverse drug reactions during the study were headache, dizziness and peripheral edema, shortness of breath, nausea, gastrointestinal tract problems and muscle cramps. Conclusion: Many factors contribute to the increase in blood pressure; family history and life style were considered the most important factors. Combination therapy appeared to be associated with high rate of adverse drug reactions; enough to warrant either decreasing the number of medications or changing the medication. More effort from all medical professionals and patients was needed in order to minimize the risk of uncontrolled hypertension in the UAE.
Highlights
According to the World Health Organization (2003) Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for heart and cardiovascular diseases
Hypertension can lead to damage of the brain, heart and kidney, resulting in renal insufficiency, hemorrhagic and/or thrombotic stroke, myocardial infarction, sudden death, heart failure
The objectives of this study are to evaluate the safety and efficacy of antihypertensive medications in patients admitted to five UAE private hospitals
Summary
According to the World Health Organization (2003) Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for heart and cardiovascular diseases. (1993) and Ruilope and Segura (2002) and European Society of Hypertension-European Society of Cardiology (2003) monitoring blood pressure can significantly reduce the risk of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular complications especially in patients with diabetes mellitus and renal insufficiency (Stamler et al, 1993; Ruilope and Segura, 2002). In MEDLAB Magazine (2006) the epidemiological Study of Hypertension in the United Arab Emirates. Corresponding Author: Muaed Jamal Alomar, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network, Fujairah, P.O. Box 7826, UAE Fujairah, United Arab Emirates Tel: 00971507157641 Fax: 0097192223176 89.
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