[Quality of conventional release verapamil prescription in patients with arterial hypertension].
OBJECTIVE
To identify patients who were being treated for hypertension with conventional release verapamil (CRV), and to notify the professional responsible for their health care on cardiovascular risk to which they are exposed and achieve a reduction in the number of patients who are treated with this drug.


METHODS
A quasi-experimental prospective before and after study without a control group was conducted on 7289 patients diagnosed with hypertension who were on treatment with CRV, between October 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012 in 8 Colombian cities, collected from a database for dispensing medicines. Socio-demographic and pharmacological variables were evaluated. A total of 108 educational interventions were performed on those responsible for their health care, and evaluated within three months with the proportion of suspension of the prescriptions of CRV being evaluated. Multivariate analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0.


RESULTS
The mean age of patients was 67.9±11.8 years (range: 26-96 years), of which 70.6% were men. Withdrawal of treatment with CRV was achieved in a total of 1922 patients (26.3% of users), distributed as follows: 1160 (60.4%) were the presentation of 120mg, while 762 (39.6%) the 80mg. The variable being treated in the city of Medellin (OR: 17.6; 95% CI: 11.949 to 25.924; P<.01) was statistically significantly associated with the replacement of CRV for another antihypertensive.


CONCLUSIONS
A relatively moderate adherence to recommendations about the proper use of CRV in hypertensive patients, was found. Intervention programs that reduce inappropriate prescribing of potential risks to patients of insurance companies and cities where the change was not achieved, must be enforced.
Médico, Magister en Farmacoepidemiología, Magister en Farmacología, PhD en Farmacología, Grupo de Investigación en Farmacoepidemiología y Farmacovigilancia, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira-Audifarma S.A., Pereira, Colombia. Electronic address: machado@utp.edu.co.
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Machado-Alba
Médico, Grupo de Investigación en Farmacoepidemiología y Farmacovigilancia, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira-Audifarma S.A. , Pereira, Colombia.
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Giraldo-Giraldo
Médico, Grupo de Investigación en Farmacoepidemiología y Farmacovigilancia, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira-Audifarma S.A. , Pereira, Colombia.
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Machado-Duque
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D003105:Colombia; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057915:Drug Substitution; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D057970:Inappropriate Prescribing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014700:Verapamil / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D014700:Verapamil
Antihipertensivos; Antihypertensive agents; Farmacovigilancia; Hipertensión; Hypertension; Pharmacovigilance; Verapamil; Verapamilo