Publication:

To study the preferred antihypertensive drugs in patients suffering from diabetes mellitus at a tertiary care hospital of Uttarakhand with an emphasis on compelling indications

Background People with diabetes are more likely to also have high blood pressure. Hypertension can increase the risk of diabetes complications and is a powerful risk factor for development of a wide variety of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and renal diseases. The treatment of hypertension in patients with diabetes thus becomes all the more important and may effectively prevent cardiovascular events. This study was thus planned with the aim to study the preferred antihypertensive drugs in patients suffering from diabetes mellitus and to teach UG students about the clinical importance of compelling indications in the treatment of hypertension.

Methods A total of 100 prescriptions of patients suffering from hypertension and diabetes mellitus were collected from diabetic hypertensive visiting the department of Medicine. Data was analysed in terms of percentage to find out the most and least preferred antihypertensive drugs in diabetes mellitus.

Results ACE inhibitors (30.95%) and ARBs (30.16%) were the most preferred, diuretics (19.84%), and CCBs (11.9%), and beta blockers (7.14%) were the least preferred antihypertensive drugs in diabetes patients. Three patients were on non-pharmacological treatment and among the remaining 97 prescriptions, monotherapy was the most common mode (70.1%) of therapy for hypertension, and drugs in combination were prescribed to 29.89% patients.

Conclusions ACE-I and ARBs were the preferred antihypertensive drugs prescribed in diabetic hypertensive. Treatment of hypertension should be individualized depending upon the compelling indications. This should be taught to undergraduate students in a practical way in collaboration with Medicine department.