title: A prospective drug use evaluation of antihypertensive drugs in in-patients of a tertiary referral care hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hypertension is a chronic illness associated with high morbidity and mortality. Once hypertension is diagnosed, starting antihypertensive therapy on a long-term basis along with regular follow up is important. Standardizing treatment guidelines and conducting drug utilization studies at regular intervals help physicians to prescribe drugs rationally. The present study was conducted to analyze the prescription patterns of antihypertensive drugs in a tertiary care referral hospital in Malabar region, Kerala, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted at the General Medicine and Cardiology Department involving the in-patients. Patients suffering from essential hypertension with or without other co-morbidities were included in the study. The frequency and proportion of prescribing different groups of antihypertensive drugs as monotherapy or combination therapy, and prescription of fixed drug combinations (FDCs) were analyzed. A total of 200 hypertensive patients were included in the study. Patient data were collected from in-patient's case sheets and direct interviews with the patients and their observers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of the patients were females with 56%, whereas the males comprised 44%, with most of the patients suffering from stage-II hypertension. The study revealed that a high proportion of the hypertensive patients had co-morbid diabetes mellitus. The most commonly prescribed class of antihypertensive drugs was angiotensin receptor blockers, followed by calcium channel blockers and β-blockers. With regard to patient therapy, 32.0% received monotherapy, whereas 68.0% received combination therapy, 16% of which received FDCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study shows that clinical pharmacists can play a key role in promoting rational prescription and improving adherence to medication.
authors.forename: Ajmal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mankadavath
authors.forename: Dilip
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chandrasekhar
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Fathimath
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zuhra
authors.forename: Shanoob
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaipanthodi
authors.forename: Jafer Chalil
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Parambil
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015897:Comorbidity; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000379:methods; D004363:Drug Utilization; D000075222:Essential Hypertension; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D055553:Prescription Drugs