title: National utilization of antihypertensive medications from 2000 to 2006 in the Veterans Health Administration: focus on thiazide diuretics.
abstract: The authors sought to determine the prescribing practices of clinicians treating veterans with hypertension. A descriptive analysis was performed using a national pharmacy database of patients with a diagnosis of hypertension receiving antihypertensive medication in the fiscal years 2000 to 2006. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors were the most frequently prescribed antihypertensive class, with utilization increasing from 56.0% in fiscal year 2000 to 63.2% of patients in 2006. Utilization of thiazide-type diuretics increased from 31.9% of patients in fiscal year 2000 to 42.0% in 2006. When patient comorbidities were taken into consideration, 48.1% of patients defined as having uncomplicated hypertension had at least one prescription for a thiazide diuretic in fiscal year 2006. Utilization by monotherapy and combination therapy were also evaluated. The trends in utilization allowed for identification of areas in which a change in prescribing practices may improve blood pressure control and health outcomes in the Veterans Health Administration.
authors.affiliation: VHA Pharmacy Benefits Management Services, Hines, IL 60141, USA. elaine.furmaga@va.gov
authors.forename: Elaine M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Furmaga
authors.forename: Francesca E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Cushman
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Basile
authors.forename: Lois A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Gale H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Rutan
authors.forename: Dan R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Berlowitz
authors.forename: Vasilios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Papademetriou
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Glassman
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000145:classification* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016208:Databases, Factual; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D049993:Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D049993:Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors