Trends in antihypertensive treatment--lessons from the National Acute Stroke Israeli (NASIS) registry.
BACKGROUND
Recent guidelines recommended different approaches to hypertension therapy. Our aim was to evaluate trends in blood pressure (BP) management among patients admitted with acute stroke over the past decade.


METHODS
The study population comprised 6279 consecutive patients, admitted with an acute stroke, and included in a national registry of three consecutive periods conducted during the years 2004-2010. We compared patients' characteristics and temporal trends of antihypertensive therapy utilization before hospital admission.


RESULTS
Among 4727 hypertensive patients, 3940 (83%) patients have taken antihypertensive drug therapy - 1430 (30.2%) a single agent, 1500 (31.7%) two agents and 1010 (21.4%) three or more antihypertensive agents. The most common class used was renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers (n = 2575; 54%) followed by beta-blockers (n = 2033; 43%). The same pattern was observed in patients treated with monotherapy. The use of RAS blockers and beta-blockers has increased over the years (p < 0.001 for both), whereas the use of diuretics decreased and the use of calcium antagonists remained stable. Among those who were treated with a single agent, the use of diuretics and calcium antagonists decreased and the use of RAS blockers increased, whereas the use of beta-blockers remained unchanged.


CONCLUSIONS
RAS blockers and beta-blockers are the most common antihypertensive agents used in Israel. Over time, the use of RAS blockers and beta-blockers has increased, whereas the use of diuretics decreased.
Department of Internal Medicine D and the Hypertension unit, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center , Tel-Hashomer , Israel.
Edward
E
Koifman
David
D
Tanne
Noa
N
Molshatzki
Avshalom
A
Leibowitz
Ehud
E
Grossman
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000378:metabolism; D012042:Registries; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004232:Diuretics; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta
Beta-blockers; calcium antagonists; diuretics; drugs; hypertension therapy; renin–angiotensin-system blockers