Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Adherence to International Guidelines in the Management of Hypertension in a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria

V U Odili¹ , E K Oghagbon², N A Ugwa³, U M Ochei¹, O E Aghomo¹

¹Dept. Of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria,; ²Pathology Dept. College of Medicine, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria,; ³Pharmacy Department, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria..

For correspondence:- V Odili Email: vuodili@yahoo.com Tel:+2348023432237

Published: 21 June 2008

Citation: Odili VU, Oghagbon EK, Ugwa NA, Ochei UM, Aghomo OE. Adherence to International Guidelines in the Management of Hypertension in a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria. Trop J Pharm Res 2008; 7(2):945-952 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v7i2.3

© 2008 The authors.
This is an Open Access article that uses a funding model which does not charge readers or their institutions for access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0) and the Budapest Open Access Initiative (http://www.budapestopenaccessinitiative.org/read), which permit unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited..

Abstract

Purpose: The role of physicians in the overall management of hypertension and their adherence to the JNC VII, WHO/ISH and ESH guidelines were examined in this study.

Method: Case notes of hypertensive patients diagnosed between 1 January 2004 and 30 September 2005, in the Cardiology Clinic of University of Benin Teaching Hospital were retrieved for evaluation. They were assessed for adherence to the JNC VII, WHO/ISH and ESH guidelines, in the management of hypertension.

Result: Five hundred and one case notes were used in the study. Prevalence of hypertension was highest in the Grade 2 category (36%). More women (60%) than men (40%) were affected, with a diagnostic mean systolic blood pressure (SBP); male (164.0mmHg ± 21.9), female (163.7 mmHg ± 18.8) and mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP); male (100.1 mmHg ± 13.2), female (97.3 mmHg ± 13.1). After commencing treatment, mean SBP and DBP for male and female were (131.8 mmHg ± 11.6; 84.3 mmHg ± 7.5), and (132.3 mmHg ± 11.5 83.2 mmHg ± 7.6), respectively. The commonest co-morbidity was diabetes mellitus (18%). Co-morbidity was commonest in Grade 2 (34%) and Grade 3 hypertension (34%). Almost half of the subjects (49%) were on a two-drug combination while 14% were on monotherapy. Calcium channel blockers were the most commonly prescribed anti-hypertensive drug (31%) followed by diuretics (30%). In combination drug regimen, diuretics were the commonest (74%). There was no evidence of body weight management in hypertension.

Conclusion: Physicians in this hospital fairly complied with the stated guidelines, but do not appear to have recommended lifestyle modifications to their hypertensive patients.

Keywords: Adherence, Guidelines, Hypertension, Management.