title: Evaluation of antihypertensive therapy in diabetic hypertensive patients: impact of ischemic heart disease.
abstract: Macrovascular complications are common in diabetic hypertensive patients. Appropriate antihypertensive therapy and tight blood pressure control are believed to prevent or delay such complication.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate utilization patterns of antihypertensive agents and blood pressure (BP) control among diabetic hypertensive patients with and without ischemic heart disease (IHD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study of all diabetic hypertensive patients attending Al-watani medical center from August 2006 until August 2007. Proportions of use of different antihypertensive drug classes were compared for all patients receiving 1, 2, 3, or 4 or more drugs, and separately among patients with and without IHD. Blood pressure control (equal or lower 130/80 mmHg) was compared for patients receiving no therapy, monotherapy, or combination therapy and separately among patients with and without IHD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  255 patients were included in the study; their mean age was 64.4 (SD=11.4) years. Sixty one (23.9%) of the included patients was on target BP. Over 60% of the total patients were receiving angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI)/ angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), followed by diuretics (40.8%), calcium channel blockers (25.1%) and beta-blockers (12.5%). The majority (> 55%) of patients were either on mono or no drug therapy. More than 55% of patients with controlled BP were using ACE-I. More than half (50.8%) of the patients with controlled BP were on combination therapy while 42.3% of patients with uncontrolled BP were on combination therapy (p=0.24). More patient in the IHD achieved target BP than those in non-IHD group (p=0.019). Comparison between IHD and non-IHD groups indicated no significant difference in the utilization of any drug class with ACE-I being the most commonly utilized in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patterns of antihypertensive therapy were generally but not adequately consistent with international guidelines. Areas of improvement include increasing ACE-I drug combinations, decreasing the number of untreated patients, and increasing the proportion of patients with controlled BP in this population.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacy Graduate Program. An-Najah National University , Nablus ( Palestine ).
authors.forename: Waleed M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Sweileh
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacy Graduate Program, and Poison Control and Drug Information Center (PCDIC). An-Najah National University , Nablus ( Palestine ).
authors.forename: Ansam F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Sawalha
authors.affiliation: Poison Control and Drug Information Center (PCDIC). An-Najah National University . Nablus ( Palestine ).
authors.forename: Sa'ed H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Zyoud
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacy Graduate Program. An-Najah National University , Nablus ( Palestine ).
authors.forename: Samah W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Al-Jabi
authors.affiliation: Poison Control and Drug Information Center (PCDIC). An-Najah National University . Nablus ( Palestine ).
authors.forename: Eman J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Tameem
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacy Graduate Program. An-Najah National University , Nablus ( Palestine ).
authors.forename: Nasr Y
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Shraim
keywords: Diabetes Mellitus; Drug Utilization; Hypertension; Palestine