Antihypertensive Prescribing Pattern in Older Adults: Implications of Age and the Use of Dual Single-Pill Combinations.
High Blood Press Cardiovasc Prev
; 26(6): 535-544, 2019 Dec.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31797221
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Hypertension, if not appropriately treated, is associated with life-threatening complications.AIMS:
This study evaluated antihypertensive prescribing patterns in older adults (≥ 65 years) versus young adults based on the current guidelines with an emphasis on the use of dual single-pill combinations (SPCs).METHODS:
A nationwide audit of 8746 primary care prescriptions of hypertensive patients with comorbidities in Bahrain was performed.RESULTS:
Antihypertensive combination therapy was prescribed more often to older (77.1%) than young adults (68.6%; P < 0.0001) whereas SPCs were under-used (57.6% vs. 69.4%; P < 0.0001). Recommended dual SPCs, without/with a combination of a free-dose complementary antihypertensive agent, were significantly less often prescribed for the older adult as compared to young adult adults (45.1% vs. 62.99% and 35.97% vs. 46.72%; P < 0.0001), respectively. Unacceptable two- and three-drug combinations (including those with limited clinical evidence and unacceptable ones) were prescribed more often to older adults rather than to young ones (20.06% vs. 12.6%; and 56.5% vs. 46.8%; P < 0.0001), respectively. In both age groups, the top-three antihypertensive classes prescribed as monotherapy were angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, and ß blockers.CONCLUSION:
The updated guidelines for hypertension treatment in older adults have had a limited impact on primary care practice in Bahrain. In both age groups, there was a high positive correlation between the number of antihypertensive drugs prescribed and prescribing unacceptable combinations. Unacceptable combinations comprising SPC-related antihypertensive therapy duplication were more common than those reported elsewhere. Introducing approved triple SPCs may discourage prescribing unacceptable antihypertensive drugs and their combinations that lack robust evidence.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Blood Pressure
/
Practice Patterns, Physicians'
/
Hypertension
/
Antihypertensive Agents
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Guideline
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
En
Journal:
High Blood Press Cardiovasc Prev
Year:
2019
Type:
Article