Survey of Hypertension in
Dhaka, Bangladesh: Changing Prescribing Patterns
Md Sazzad Hossain*, Nizam
Uddin, AFM Mahmudul Islam, Raziul Hassan Akash, Md
Mahadi Hasan, Tanay Kumar Saha, Md Monir Hossain,
Mohammad Asikur Rahman and Md Sohel Rana
Department of Pharmacy,
Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh
*For correspondence:
Email:
sazzad.phrm@gmail.com; Tel:
+8801937045322
Received: 20 September 2014 Revised accepted: 10 January
2015
Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research,
February 2015;
14(2): 329-335
Purpose: To assess changes in the prescribing
pattern of antihypertensive drugs and lifestyle factors
associated with hypertensive patients in Dhaka,
Bangladesh.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was
conducted among 50 hypertensive patients in various
heart disease hospitals and the consulting rooms of 10
cardiologists in the city of Dhaka to determine changes
in prescribing patterns of antihypertensive drugs.
Respondents were distributed more or less equally
between males and the females.
Results: Female patients aged 30 to 40 years
(8 %) as well as male patients aged 50 to 60 years (54
%) and 60 to 70 years (12 %) were prone to hypertension.
However, patients of both sexes whose age ranged from 40
to 50 (40 %) and 50 to 60 (36 %) were more prone to
hypertension. It was observed that 46 % of the patients
were overweight. A majority of the patients had diabetes
with hypertension (28 %). Moreover, most of the patients
(80 %) did not indulge in any physical exercise and were
non-smokers but had a family history of hypertension.
Combined antihypertensive drugs, especially thiazide
diuretics with angiotensin II receptor blockers, calcium
antagonists, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)
inhibitors were the first choice of drugs by physicians.
The prescribing rate of β-blockers (28.36 %) and
combined antihypertensive preparations (40 %) was higher
than that of older antihypertensives, viz loop
diuretics, propranolol and enalapril.
Conclusion: Combination therapy is favored by
all doctors who compared with the past prescribing
practice of a single medication for hypertension.
Keywords: Hypertension, Prescribing pattern,
Antihypertensive drugs, Lifestyle factors, Family
history
