Abstract

A STUDY TO EVALUATE THE PRESCRIBING PATTERN OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS IN A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

A. R. Shabaraya, M. H. Sunila, M. Reshma* and M. V. Prathvi

ABSTRACT

Hypertension is considered as one of the serious medical condition worldwide as it is the most common modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, stroke and renal failure. Appropriate use of medication may have a beneficial effect in reducing the incidence of complication indirectly. Evaluation of prescription pattern of antihypertensive drugs are important for optimization of drug therapy in individuals with hypertension. This study was fabricated to evaluate the prescribing pattern of antihypertensive drugs during the period of Covid-19 pandemic. The study was conducted in total of 100 patients at tertiary care teaching hospital Mangalore, for a period of six months. The data from the case files of patients was collected and analysed using Microsoft Excel Software. The present study consists of 59% male and 41% female patients. It was found that majority of the patients were in the age group of above 65 years (54%). A total of 152 drugs were prescribed during the study out of which the most frequent antihypertensive class to be prescribed were ARBs (24.36%) significantly higher than CCBs (21.8%) and diuretics (18.4%). Fixed dose combination of two diuretics (44.44%) was prescribed higher than ARBs with diuretics (18.18%) and CCBs with beta blockers (18.18%). The present study concluded that the monotherapy was recommended more in early stages of hypertension, out of which ARBs are utilized simultaneously higher than other antihypertensive drugs. There were no significant association between use of Renin-angiotensin system inhibitors and susceptibility to Covid-19 in patient with hypertension during the pandemic.

Keywords: Hypertension, Prescribing pattern, Antihypertensive drug, Covid-19 pandemic.