Volume : 5, Issue : 3, March - 2016

Analysis of prescription pattern of antihypertensive drugs in pregnancy in a tertiary care Hospital

Dr. Deepanjali Lomte, Dr. A. W. Patil, Dr. Praveenkumar Patil

Abstract :

<p>&nbsp;Aim: Pregnancy-induced hypertension is associated with various adverse fetal and maternal outcomes. It is the most common of all complications of pregnancy. The use of anti-hypertensive drugs in pregnancy is controversial. Method: A prospective study was conducted to assess the drug utilization pattern of antihypertensive drugs in pregnancy. Patients diagnosed as hypertensive disorder of pregnancy were taken for primary evaluation. The data regarding demographic details, presenting complaints, gestational age, obstetric history, diagnosis, blood pressure monitoring, current medications, antihypertensive drugs prescribed were collected and the utilization of antihypertensive drugs in pregnancy was evaluated. Result: A total of 890 pregnant women visited the OBG department, out of which 70 patients were diagnosed with hypertension. The overall prevalence of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy was 7.8%. The mean maternal age was 25.8 years in the study population. The prevalence of Preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, chronic hypertension, and eclampsia were 6.6 %, 1.5%, 0.15 %, and 0.60 % respectively. Highest incidence of hypertension was occurred in age group of 23-27 years (54.2%). A majority of patients (64.4%) were on combination therapy whereas (35.6%) were on monotherapy. Labetalol was the commonest prescribed antihypertensive as monotherapy (72 %) as well as in combination therapy with methyldopa and Nifedipine. Conclusion: Our study concluded that the incidence of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy was high. Labetalol was the commonest prescribed antihypertensive in monotherapy and combination, as it is highly efficacious during pregnancy.</p>