Citation: Prasanth CH, Sathish Kumar V, Akhila M, Swathi V. Prescribing Pattern and Pharmacoeconomic Evaluation of Antihypertensive Drugs at a Tertiary Care Hospital. J Basic Clin Pharma 2018;9:308-310

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Abstract

Aim and Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate anti-hypertensive drug prescription pattern and cost analysis in tertiary care hospital. Hypertension is one of the major chronic diseases resulting in high mortality and morbidity these days. Clinical pharmacists can play a role in pharmaceutical cost management by providing an outlook to the physicians for prescribing cost-effective choices of drugs when it is clinically appropriate. Despite broad dissemination of the JNC guidelines, prescribing practices have long remained discrepant with recommendations.

Methodology: An observational and cross-sectional prospective. Was conducted in General Medicine department in tertiary care hospital for a period of 6 months. The study group consists of 200 patients, both males, and females diagnosed with hypertension and co-morbid conditions.

Results and Discussions: Out of 200 patients, 99 males and 101 females were identified to have prescribed with antihypertensive drugs during the study period. In combination drug therapy, total 59 medications were prescribed. Telmisartan+HCL Thiazide 18 (30.5%), Losartan+Hydrochlorothiazide 12 (20.33%) and Telmisartan+Amlodipine 7 (11.86%) were the most frequently prescribed combinations drugs. Combinational therapy contributes the highest annual cost of (3248.5 ± 401.5 INR) followed by monotherapy drugs from various classes (1956.4 ± 222.65 INR). 5204.9 INR was accounted for the total antihypertensive drugs prescribed. Conclusion: The economic studies state that 70.5% of patients had received monotherapy. The study reveals that majority of patients were treated with diuretics. They can also encourage prescribers to make cost-effective choices of drugs when clinically appropriate.