Prescription Monitoring of Hypertensive Patients Referred to Hypertension out Patient Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital, Mumbai

Introduction: The present study tried to establish the prescribing pattern, rationality of prescriptions and the awareness of patients about hypertension and the medicines given to them.

Methods: This study of nine-month duration was conducted at the Hypertension Clinic in KEM hospital after obtaining permission from the IEC. The information was collected from new OPD patients of either sex with age between 18 and 80 years who were referred from intra hospital or from outside KEM hospital doctors for the first time, and who had received the prescription within last 6 months. Data collection was done using case record form (CRF) and a pre-validated questionnaire.

Results: Our study revealed that most of the patients were on monotherapy (53.92%). In the monotherapy category, the drugs used were calcium channel blockers (CCBs) 74.5%), beta-blockers (16.4%) and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (3.6%). Among those who were treated with drug combinations, 60.87% received two drugs, 26.09% received three drugs and 13.04% received four drugs. In combination therapy, beta-blocker and calcium channel blocker combination was given to the majority.

Ninety seven percent prescriptions were incomplete in various aspects of non drug therapy and drug therapy. The most frequently prescribed non drug therapy was salt restricted diet (68.42%). Awareness of the participants was poor with regards to their disease, its complications and its therapy.

Conclusion: The present study represents the current prescribing trend for anti-hypertensive agents and it highlights certain shortcomings in the existing prescribing practice.