Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF PRESCRIPTION PATTERN IN PATIENTS HAVING CHRONIC HEART FAILURE: A SINGLE CENTER PROSPECTIVE STUDY

Bincy Babu*, Devika Vijay, Riya Raju G. and Sheen Varghese, Dr. Samhitha John Chetty and Dr. P. Mahesh Babu

Abstract

Background: The mortality and morbidity of Congestive heart failure in India is higher than the western population. The objectives of this study was to develop a baseline data on drug prescription pattern and the utilization of combination therapy and the adverse drug reactions associated with the Heart Failure drugs. Materials and Methods: The data was collected prospectively from Department of Cardiology, Vijaya Group of Hospitals, Vadapalani, Chennai of patients admitted for chronic heart failure during the period of 6 months from April 2018 - September 2018. Results and Discussion: Our study reveals that 1570 drugs were prescribed for 100 patients (69 males and 31 females) and number of prescribed drugs per prescription was 1139 drugs were given by oral route, 394 drugs by parenteral route and 27 drugs by inhalational route. The mostly drug prescribed drug was Diuretics (100%). Among the two drug combination, Diuretics+Beta blockers was the most commonly prescribed (42.30%), for three drug combination Antiplatelet +Beta blockers+ Diuretics (40.81%) was the most commonly prescribed and in the four drug combination, Nitrates+Beta blockers+ Antiplatelet +Diuretics (50%) was the most commonly prescribed. Conclusion: The incidence of heart failure was slightly higher in males than in females and also it was higher in patients between the age group of 61-70 years. A combination therapy proves to be more effective than a single drug. We try to conclude that poly-therapy is better than mono-therapy in patients with Chronic Heart Failure.

Keywords: Prescription pattern, Heart Failure, Diuretics.