title: Extent of potential drug interactions among patients receiving anti-hypertensive medications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the frequency of potential antihypertensive drug interactions among patients with cardiovascular diseases receiving antihypertensive medications.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study took place in Nablus, Palestine starting April through October 2003. Patients with cardiovascular diseases (n=876) or who were receiving one or more antihypertensive medications were evaluated. All drugs prescribed for the patients were obtained from their medical files. A drug interaction database was developed based on updated Drug Interaction Facts to examine potential and level of drug interactions in each patient's regimen. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of "unique" pairs of potential drug interactions among the antihypertensive agents present in the data was 433. These included 16 cases (3.7%) level one; 34 cases (7.8%) level 2; 116 cases (26.8%) level 3; 136 cases (31.4%) level 4, and 131 (30.3%) level 5 interactions. Both increasing age and number of drugs were significantly associated with the potential for significant interactions at all levels with a p value less than 0.025.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study found a high frequency of potential drug interactions with agents typically used for hypertension. Similar investigations need to be carried out among patients with other types of chronic diseases. Drug interaction software might be necessary in governmental pharmacy departments.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pharmacy Program, College of Pharmacy, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine. waleedsweileh@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Waleed M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Sweileh
authors.forename: Ansam F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Sawalha
authors.forename: Nidal A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Jaradat
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents