Abstract :
Introduction & Objectives: Heart failure (HF) is a common cardiovascular condition with increasing incidence and prevalence and many drugs are used especially in combination to treat this condition. Our objective of the study was to study drug prescribing pattern in patients with heart failure.
Materials and Method: The data was collected retrospectively and recorded in a preformed proforma obtained from Medical Records Department, A.J. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Mangalore, Karnataka, India of patients admitted for congestive heart failure during the period of 2 years from January 2013 - December 2014.
Results: Our study reveals about 871 drugs were prescribed for 100 patients who are included in the study 715 (82%) received the drug by oral route, 104 (11.9%) by parenteral route and 52 (5.9 %) drugs by inhalational route. The drugs prescribed were Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) (13%), Diuretics (92%), Beta blockers (37%), Hypolipidemic agents (34%), Bronchodilators (56%), Sympathomimetics (75%), Antiplatelets (63%), Anticoagulant (11%), Antiulcer drugs (72%) and Positive inotropic drug (70%) and Antimicrobial drugs (99%). Out of the 871 drugs prescribed only 15.95% (139) of the drugs were prescribed by generic names and rest of 732 (84.05%) were prescribed by brand names. About 627 (71.98%) of the total drugs prescribed were from the essential drugs list.
Interpretation & Conclusions: We try to conclude that polytherapy is the better than monotherapy in patients with CCF. Prescription of generic drugs reduces the patients’ burden making it more affordable and also the chance of survival for long time depends on absence or presence of co-morbidities.
Keyword :
Congestive Heart Failure, Prescription Pattern, Retrospective Study