PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY
1999;8 Supplement 2: S128
ABSTRACT
Pharmacological Therapy of Essential
Hypertension: The
National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, 1996
Boji Huang1, Kenneth A. Bachmann1, Randi Chen, Jennifer McAllister. 1University of Toledo College of Pharmacy, Toledo, Ohio, USA.
Background – Essential hypertension, a major worldwide health problem, often requires pharmacological therapy. Beta blockers and diuretics are recommended as the first choice for treatment of hypertension. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and calcium channel blockers are becoming increasingly popular in the United States. Prescription patterns of antihypertensive drugs were examined in this study.
Methods – A cross-sectional study using a sample survey of practicing physicians participating in the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, 1996.
Results – Among 734 million doctors’ office visits in 1996, 55.4 million (7.6%) were for treatment of hypertension. Thirty-one million visits for treatment of hypertension (55%) were made by females, and 24.4 million (45%) were made by males. Among the 55.4 million visits, 11.5%, 37.4% and 51.1% were made by hypertensives younger than 45 years of age, aged 45 to 65 years old, and older than 65 years of age, respectively. No single antihypertensive agent was prescribed in 39.1% visits for treatment of hypertension. The hypertensives older than 65 years and those hypertensives aged between 45 and 65 years were prescribed at least one antihypertensive drug in 62.7% and 59.5% visits, respectively. Beta blockers, diuretics, calcium channel blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors were prescribed in 13.4%, 17.1%, 24.3% and 21.3% of the total visits for treatment of hypertension, respectively.
Discussion – Pharmacological treatment for essential hypertension was not aggressive enough in the visits made by hypertensives. In 1996, to treat hypertension, physicians who specialized in both cardiology and general medicine increasingly prescribed more angiotensin-coverting enzyme inhibitors and calcium channel blockers than beta blockers and diuretics.