What is it about?
This study analysed how antihypertensive medications were prescribed in a tertiary care teaching hospital in South India. It assessed which classes of drugs were most frequently used, how often single-drug versus combination therapy was chosen, and whether prescribing patterns aligned with national and international treatment guidelines. The analysis of 286 prescriptions showed that calcium channel blockers—especially amlodipine—were the most commonly used medicines. Beta blockers and ACE inhibitors/ARBs were also widely prescribed. Combination therapy was slightly more common than monotherapy, and drug choice varied depending on comorbidities such as diabetes, renal disease, and heart failure. The study also examined adherence to the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), which stood at 65%.
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Why is it important?
Hypertension is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular disease and premature death in India. Ensuring that patients receive evidence-based treatment is essential for preventing complications such as stroke, heart attack, and renal failure. This study identifies strong alignment with guideline-recommended practices—particularly in the use of calcium channel blockers and appropriate drug combinations—while highlighting specific gaps, including the underuse of thiazide diuretics and suboptimal use of ACE inhibitors/ARBs in diabetic hypertensives. These findings can help improve prescribing behavior, inform institutional policy, and strengthen rational drug use in resource-limited Indian healthcare settings.
Perspectives
For clinicians: The findings reinforce the predominant role of amlodipine and the importance of combination therapy in patients with comorbid conditions; however, better adherence to recommendations for thiazides and ACE-I/ARBs in diabetes is needed. For hospital administrators and policymakers: Monitoring adherence to the NLEM and promoting essential drug availability can improve affordability and rational prescribing. For public health systems: Understanding real-world prescribing patterns helps identify gaps in hypertension management—a key priority in reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease. For patients: The study demonstrates that treatment largely follows evidence-based standards, supporting safer and more effective long-term blood pressure control.
Dr Supratim Datta
Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Utilization Study of Antihypertensives in a South Indian Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital and Adherence to Standard Treatment Guidelines
, Journal of Basic and Clinical Pharmacy, January 2017, Medknow,
DOI: 10.4103/0976-0105.195100.
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