Frequency, Preferences and Prescribing Pattern of Antihypertensive Drugs in Out-Patient Department of a Tertiary Care SGM Hospital, Rewa District of Madhya Pradesh, India

Aims and Objectives: The aim of study was to determine the frequency and prescribing pattern of antihypertensive drugs in Out Patient Department of a tertiary care hospital and to identify whether the pattern of prescribing is appropriate in accordance with national and international guidelines for pharmacotherapy of hypertension.

Methods: This was a prescription-based survey; the prescriptions were collected randomly from OPDs of SGM Hospital as xerox copies after taking the consent of the patients. A total of 3587 prescriptions were analysed.

Results: In the 3587 prescriptions a total 8144 drugs were prescribed; of these only 4.19% (342) drugs belonged to the cardiovascular group. Among the cardiovascular drugs 94.73% (324) belonged to antihypertensive and 5.26% were anti-CHF drugs. 91.35% drugs were prescribed as monotherapy and 8.64% as combination therapy. The Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) (Amlodipine 83.47%) were the most frequently prescribed antihypertensive drugs (35.49%) followed by Angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) 25% (Enalapril 60.49%), β-blockers 13.27% (Atenolol 69.76%), angiotensin (AT1) receptor antagonists or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) 9.25% (Losartan 80.0%), combination therapy 8.64% (AT+AM/LO+HCTZ 46.42%) and diuretics 8.33% (Hydrochlorothiazide 55.55%). However over all prescribing frequency among antihypertensive drugs were as follows: Amlodipine (29.63%) ≥ Enalapril (15.12%) ≥ Ramipril (9.87%) ≥ Atenolol ≥ (9.25%) ≥ Losartan (7.40%) hydrochlorothiazide ≥ (4.63%) ≥ Es-amlodipine (4.32%) ≥ AT+AM (4.01%)= LO+HCTZ (4.01%) ≥ Frusemide (3.70%) ≥ Candesartan (1.85%) ≥ Metoprolol (1.54%) and others.

Conclusions: Most of antihypertensive drugs in this study were prescribed as monotherapy. Amlodipine was most frequently prescribed antihypertensive followed by Enalapril ≥ Ramipril ≥ Atenolol ≥ and Losartan, in combination therapy AT+AM and LO+HCTZ were equally prescribed. The pattern of this study was in accordance with the National and International guidelines.