Epidemiology of cardioprotective pharmacological agent use in stable coronary heart disease.

OBJECTIVE: To determine use of class and type of cardioprotective pharmacological agents in patients with stable coronary heart disease (CHD) we performed a prescription audit. METHODS: A cross sectional survey was conducted in major districts of Rajasthan in years 2008-09. We evaluated prescription for classes (anti-platelets, ß-blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), calcium channel blockers (CCB) and statins) and specific pharmacological agents at clinics of physicians in tertiary (n = 18), secondary (n = 69) and primary care (n = 43). Descriptive statistics are reported. RESULTS: Prescriptions of 2290 stable CHD patients were audited. Anti-platelet use was in 2031 (88.7%), ß-blockers 1494 (65.2%), ACE inhibitors 1196 (52.2%), ARBs 712 (31.1%), ACE inhibitors - ARB combinations 19 (0.8%), either ACE inhibitors or ARBs 1908 (83.3%), CCBs 1023 (44.7%), statins 1457 (63.6%) and other lipid lowering agents in 170 (7.4%). Among anti-platelets aspirin-clopidogrel combination was used in 88.5%. Top three molecules in ß-blockers were atenolol (37.8%), metoprolol (26.4%) and carvedilol (11.9%); ACE inhibitors ramipril (42.1%), lisinopril (20.3%) and perindopril (10.9%); ARB's losartan (47.7%), valsartan (22.3%) and telmisartan (14.9%); CCBs amlodipine (46.7%), diltiazem (29.1%) and verapamil (9.5%) and statins were atorvastatin (49.8%), simvastatin (28.9%) and rosuvastatin (18.3%). Use of metoprolol, ramipril, valsartan, diltiazem and atorvastatin was more at tertiary care, and atenolol, lisinopril, losartan, amlodipine and simvasatin in primary care (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: There is low use of ß-blockers, ACE inhibitors, ARBs and statins in stable CHD patients among physicians in Rajasthan. Significant differences in use of specific molecules at primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare are observed.