A Prospective Drug Utilization Review of Hypertension Therapy as per JNC VII Guidelines in a South India Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Objective

The main objective of our study is to analyze the prescription patterns of antihypertensive drugs and adherence to JNC VII guidelines in a South India tertiary care hospital.

Method

Drug utilization data of 280 hypertensive patients, attending medicine Out Patient Department of Employees? State Insurance Corporation Model Hospital from January 2014 to June 2014 was collected from 24 hour hospital pharmacy.

Results

280 patients were included in this study. Drug utilization rates in all study subjects till date stands at Diuretics (30.62%), Angiotensin receptor blockers (27.82%), ?-Blockers (11.7%), Calcium channel blockers (13.5%), ACE Inhibitors (16.07%). The most frequently prescribed antihypertensive drugs were diuretics followed by ARBs, ACE inhibitors, Beta Blockers, and CCBs. As for individual medicines, hydrochlorothiazide were the most commonly prescribed antihypertensive drug followed by Telmisartan amlodipine, atenolol, ramipril, Toramide, losartan and. 69.6% received mono therapy and 30.4% received combination therapy (including fixed drug combinations). The prescription pattern was found to be in accordance with JNC VII guidelines.

Conclusion

The general pattern of antihypertensive utilization seems to be in accordance with the JNC VII guidelines for management of hypertension.