No abstract

Prescribing pattern of antihypertensive medicines is much concerned in the context of treating this disease hypertension. The main objective was to determine prescribing patterns of antihypertensive medicines. Hundred prescriptions were collected from one community pharmacy outlet for three days. Prescriptions of hypertensive patients were analysed by using Microsoft Excel. Out of hundred prescriptions, 57% accounted for female and 43% for male. According to the results, antihypertensive drugs were widely prescribed for patients (54%) above 60 years, as expected following 45% of patients within 20-60 years age category. But, only one patient below 20 years of age (1%) was prescribed with anti-hypertensives. Out of all the prescribed anti-hypertensives, 59% accounted for Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARBs) & Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACEIs) followed by Calcium Channel Blockers (CCB) (16%), Diuretics (13%), β-Blockers (5%) and others (Alpha blockers, Potassium channel blockers, α & β blockers & Alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonists) (7%) respectively. Losartan was the highly prescribed ACEI and ARBs (85%) followed by HCT (Diuretic) (75%) Diltiazem and Nifedipine (CCB) (36% equally) and Bisoprolol (β-Blocker) (57%) as highly prescribed anti-hypertensives under each category. Study concluded that, ACEIs and ARBs were the highly prescribed drug category following the drug Losartan. 1% from the total prescriptions were accounted for prescribing Nifedipine (CCB) only for the age below 20. But there were antihypertensive drug combinations prescribed for the 20-60 and above 60 age categories rather than prescribing a single antihypertensive. Further recommended to analyse the types of anti-hypertensive combinations among each age category.