A study on prescribing pattern of antihypertensives in adult patients attending in a tertiary care hospital of Assam, India

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is one of the most common chronic medical problems prompting visits to health care providers. It has been estimated that hypertension accounts for 13% of deaths worldwide. The main objective of the present study was to assess the pattern of drug utilisation and to evaluate whether the prescribing patterns for anti-hypertensive in our institution is in adherence with JNC 8 guidelines for treatment of hypertension. Methods: A prospective, observational, non-interventional, hospital based study was carried out for the period of three months in an out-patient department. Adult patients of either sex who have been diagnosed with hypertension as per JNC-8 guidelines without co morbidities and patients receiving or prescribed with antihypertensive drugs were included. The analysis of the prescription frequency, proportion of the different antihypertensive classes of drugs as monotherapy as well as combination therapy was done. Results: The most common drug classes involved in the study was angiotension II receptor antagonists followed by calcium channel blocker. The most common anti-hypertensive fixed dose combination therapy involved in the study was angiotensin II receptor antagonist+thiazide diuretic. 67% of the cases received monotherapy whereas remaining 33% received combination therapy. Conclusions: Our study shows that the most commonly prescribed drug classes involved were angiotensin II receptor antagonists followed by calcium channel blocker and the anti-hypertensive drug combinations among hypertensive patients were considerable and this practice positively impacted on the overall blood pressure control.