CURRENT DIVERSIFICATION IN THE SELECTION OF MOLECULE(s) FOR THE TREATMENT OF HYPERTENSION

Abstract

The study was carried out on the current diversification of antihypertensive drugs prescribed for the treatment of hypertensive patients irrespective of age and sex in the Government Hospitals of Khulna city, Bangladesh. The study covered only the indoor hypertensive patients. The frequency of hypertension was found maximum with patients above 40 years of age. The study showed that the prevalence of hypertension was more common in females compared to males. Among the therapeutic classes, Calcium channel blockers (CCB) were used most frequently (27%). Diuretics (25%) and Beta-blocker (24%) fell in the 2nd and 3rd position respectively. ACE inhibitors (18%) were also used frequently, but angiotensin-II antagonist, alpha-blocker and centrally acting antihypertensive drugs were used only in limited cases. Both combination therapy (57%) and monotherapy (43%) were used for the management of hypertension. Among the combinations, diuretics and ACE inhibitors combination was prescribed in most cases (20%). There was no combination of two or more molecules under the same therapeutic class. In case of mono-drug therapy metoprolol was used most frequently (25%) which was followed by amlodipine (20%) and nifedipine (18%). When individual drug molecules irrespective of their use either in combination or as single drug were taken into account, it was found that furosemide was most frequently (21%) used. Amlodipine (16%), nifedipine and atenolol (13%) followed furosemide.