Prescribing Patterns of Antihypertensives and Antidiabetics in Public and Private Healthcare Centres in North Central Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Antihypertensive and antidiabetic pharmacotherapy effectively reduces hypertension and diabetic-related morbidity and mortality. Prescribing pattern surveys is one of the drug use evaluation techniques providing an unbiased picture and identification of suboptimal prescribing patterns. The aim of the study is to describe prescription pattern of antihypertensives and antidiabetics in public and private healthcare centres. Method: A cross sectional retrospective study was conducted to obtain related information from prescriptions of 360 patients treated for hypertension and diabetic-related ailments at the public and missionary hospitals, private clinics and community pharmacies with the aid of a data collection sheet. Results: One hundred sixty eight (47.6%) of the patients whose prescription were evaluated were male, with 192 (53.3%) been female counterparts. Those from 45 years and above constituted the highest percentage (76.6%) that were managed for hypertension and diabetic-related ailments across the facilities. Most of the patients (84.2%) were married people, and many of them (45.8%) were government workers. Lisinopril was the highest prescribed in the facilities (44.28%) compared to other antihypertensives, followed by amlodipine ((38.42%), with hydralazine been the least prescribed (0.4%). For the antidiabetics, biguanides were the most commonly prescribed medicine (63.1%), compared to the sulphonyl urea (27.55%. With respect to  number of antidiabetics per prescription, two drugs were the most prescribed pattern (86.3%), and dual therapy were the most prescribed in the faith based (83.20%), private (96.40%) and public (94.4%) healthcare facilities. In all, majority (68.5%) of the prescriptions were by brand with 31.5% by generics names. Conclusion: Diuretics were the most prescribed antihypertensive across faith based, government owned and private health care centres and most patient required two drugs to maintain their blood pressure mostly combined. Biguanides were the most prescribed class of antidiabetics. For hypertension comorbid with diabetes, Biguanides, Sulphonylureas, Glyptins and insulin were mostly combined. Branded medications were more prescribed than generics.