title: Pattern of prescription of anti-hypertensive medications in a tertiary health care facility in Abuja, Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Marked changes have been made in the pharmacotherapy of hypertension over the years. In sub-Saharan Africa, hypertension pharmacotherapy is often thought to include only thiazide diuretics, beta blockers and centrally acting medications and, it is unclear if and how often calcium channel blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers are used.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the anti-hypertensive prescription pattern in a tertiary health centre in Nigeria to determine how it conforms to current guidelines.
  
  
  METHODS
  590 newly diagnosed hypertensive patients presenting at the Cardiology Unit of University of Abuja Teaching Hospital over a three-year period were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Calcium channel blockers were the most frequently prescribed anti-hypertensive medications (66.9% of all cases) and centrally acting medications were prescribed in only 5.01% of cases. Single-pill combination either alone or in combination with other antihypertensive medications were prescribed in 17.3% cases. Of these, calcium channel blocker-based combinations constituted the most frequently used multiple drug combinations. 94.6% of the patients required more than one medication for blood pressure control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anti-hypertensive pharmacotherapy in Abuja, Nigeria, compares favorably with the current recommendations in the prescription pattern of anti-hypertensive medications.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria. dikeojji@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Dike B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Ojji
authors.affiliation: Nephrology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Samuel O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Ajayi
authors.affiliation: Nephrology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Manmak H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Mamven
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alfa
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Eduardo University, Maputo, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Damasceno
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Albertino
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D063128:Tertiary Health Care
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents