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A Study of Anti-Hypertensive Drug Prescription Patterns in Hypertensive Post-Menopausal Women


Affiliations
1 Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Patiala, Punjab, India
2 Department of Medicine (Cardiology), Government Medical College, Patiala, Punjab, India
 

Background: Drug prescription in menopause is complex as estrogen deficiency, hypertension (HT) and other risk factors, rapidly increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in post-menopausal women (PMW).

Objectives: To evaluate the prescription trends of anti-hypertensive drugs in PMW.

Methods: This was an observational, cross sectional study conducted over a period of 1 year, on hypertensive PMW. The prescriptions were evaluated for antihypertensive drug use patterns and also as per WHO core drug indicators.

Results: 21.82% of prescriptions had monotherapy, amongst which angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) (10%) and individually, telmisartan (5.45%) were most commonly prescribed. Majority of prescriptions had two drug therapy (44.09%), among which ARB + beta-blockers (BB) (20.91%) and individually, Telmisartan + Metoprolol (13.64%) were most frequently prescribed. ARB + Diuretic (DI) (9.55%) was the most common fixed drug combination (FDC) prescribed. ARB + BB + DI (10.45%), ARB + 2DI + BB (4.09%) and ARB + 2DI + BB + Calcium channel blocker (1.82%) were most commonly prescribed three, four and ≥five drug combinations, respectively. Hypolipidemic drugs (60.45%) were maximally co-prescribed. Percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name was 4.63% and from essential drug list was 32.62%.

Conclusions: A high trend of polypharmacy was observed in hypertensive PMW. HT, being a multifactorial disease, deserves a multidisciplinary and a comprehensive approach in the care of this population subgroup. Knowledge of prescription pattern and thus the rational utilisation of drugs will help achieve better control rates of HT and hence curb down the burden of CVDs in PMW.


Keywords

Hypertension, Post-Menopausal Women, Prescription Pattern, Polypharmacy, Anti-Hypertensive Drugs.
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  • A Study of Anti-Hypertensive Drug Prescription Patterns in Hypertensive Post-Menopausal Women

Abstract Views: 331  |  PDF Views: 128

Authors

Ritika Singla
Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Patiala, Punjab, India
Harcharan Singh
Department of Medicine (Cardiology), Government Medical College, Patiala, Punjab, India
Anita K. Gupta
Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Patiala, Punjab, India
Vijay K. Sehgal
Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Patiala, Punjab, India

Abstract


Background: Drug prescription in menopause is complex as estrogen deficiency, hypertension (HT) and other risk factors, rapidly increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in post-menopausal women (PMW).

Objectives: To evaluate the prescription trends of anti-hypertensive drugs in PMW.

Methods: This was an observational, cross sectional study conducted over a period of 1 year, on hypertensive PMW. The prescriptions were evaluated for antihypertensive drug use patterns and also as per WHO core drug indicators.

Results: 21.82% of prescriptions had monotherapy, amongst which angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) (10%) and individually, telmisartan (5.45%) were most commonly prescribed. Majority of prescriptions had two drug therapy (44.09%), among which ARB + beta-blockers (BB) (20.91%) and individually, Telmisartan + Metoprolol (13.64%) were most frequently prescribed. ARB + Diuretic (DI) (9.55%) was the most common fixed drug combination (FDC) prescribed. ARB + BB + DI (10.45%), ARB + 2DI + BB (4.09%) and ARB + 2DI + BB + Calcium channel blocker (1.82%) were most commonly prescribed three, four and ≥five drug combinations, respectively. Hypolipidemic drugs (60.45%) were maximally co-prescribed. Percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name was 4.63% and from essential drug list was 32.62%.

Conclusions: A high trend of polypharmacy was observed in hypertensive PMW. HT, being a multifactorial disease, deserves a multidisciplinary and a comprehensive approach in the care of this population subgroup. Knowledge of prescription pattern and thus the rational utilisation of drugs will help achieve better control rates of HT and hence curb down the burden of CVDs in PMW.


Keywords


Hypertension, Post-Menopausal Women, Prescription Pattern, Polypharmacy, Anti-Hypertensive Drugs.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18311/ijmds%2F2018%2F166205