A STUDY ON PRESCRIBING PATTERN OF DRUGS IN PATIENTS WITH CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES

Syeda Batool*, Syeda Juveria Sultana, Md. Yousuf Hussain, J. Sai Prakash, Dr. Kanchana N. Dussa and Dr. Mehraj Unnisa

ABSTRACT

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are a major health problem and have become the world’s most common cause of morbidity and mortality. Prescription Pattern Monitoring Studies are the Drug Utilization Studies that help to evaluate the problems in prescribing patterns. Thus, the study aimed to assess the prescribing pattern of drugs in patients with cardiovascular diseases. Materials and Methods: A Prospective observational study was conducted from July 2018 to March 2019 in the In-Patient Department of Cardiology in a tertiary care hospital, Hyderabad. The demographic and treatment data of 196 patients were collected in a specially designed data collection form. WHO prescribing indicators and other parameters were analyzed using descriptive statistics to measure the performance of health care providers related to the appropriate use of drugs. Results: In this study, among 196 patients, 65.82% and 34.18% were males and females respectively. A maximum number of patients was in the age group of 51-60 years (33.67%). Most commonly prescribed cardiovascular single drugs, 25.93% were anti-hypertensives followed by 22.70% of antiplatelets. The most commonly prescribed cardiovascular FDCs were a combination of two Antihypertensive drugs (50.94%) followed by a combination of Antihyperlipidemic and Antiplatelet drugs (21.70%). The average number of drugs per prescription was 9.96. Antibiotics were prescribed to 34.18% patients and injections were prescribed to 75% of patients. Cardiovascular drugs prescribed from the 2017 WHO model list of essential mediates was 35.81%. Among drug-drug interactions, moderate interactions were most commonly found followed by major interactions. Conclusion: Present study results conclude that pharmacists and prescribers should collaborate to improve prescribing patterns and help promote rational drug use.

Keywords: Rational use, prescription pattern, WHO prescribing indicators, cardiovascular drugs, polypharmacy, drug-drug interactions.