Publication:

Comparative assessment of the pattern of anti-hypertensive drugs prescribed in medicine and cardiology outpatient department

Background Hypertension or high blood pressure is one of the strongest modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular and renal diseases and is a condition that afflicts almost 1 billion people worldwide. The objective of the present study was to compare the prescribing pattern of antihypertensive drugs in patient attending medicine and cardiology OPD.

Methods It was an observational, cross sectional study conducted in the department of pharmacology in collaboration with the medicine and the cardiology department.

Results The present study which was conducted for a period of 6 months in the medicine and cardiology OPD showed unequal distribution of the patients in the medicine and cardiology OPD, with 223 patients attended medicine OPD while 434 patients attended cardiology OPD. Amongst the patients attending medicine OPD, majority of the patients (61.88%) were stage I hypertensive (>140/90 mmHg) according to JNC VII classification whereas majority (69.38%) of those attending cardiology OPD were stage II hypertensive (>160/100). Calcium channel blockers (CCB) were the most commonly prescribed drug in medicine OPD followed by angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE I) whereas beta blockers (BB) were most commonly prescribed in cardiology OPD followed by ACE I.

Conclusions The study concludes that there is a wide variation in the prescription of the anti-hypertensive drugs among medicine and cardiology OPD. CCBs were most commonly used in medicine OPD whereas beta blockers were preferred in cardiology OPD. Monotherapy was preferred in medicine OPD, whereas combination therapy was preferred by cardiologist. Double and triple drug combination therapies were used more in comparison to monotherapy.