A study of adverse drug reactions due to antihypertensive drugs in a tertiary care teaching hospital

Abstract

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) present a serious public health problem that can affect patients, caregivers, pharmaceutical companies, and the health care system as a whole. The objective of the present study was to evaluate Adverse Drug Reactions associated with antihypertensive drugs. The present study was an open, non-comparative, observational study was done to monitor ADRs associated with antihypertensive medicines in a university teaching hospital. A total of 34 adverse drug reactions were observed in 250 hypertensive patients during the four month study. A high percentage of adverse drug reactions occurred in middle aged and female patients. Of the 34 adverse drug reactions, 18 (52.9%) were mild, 14 (41.2%) moderate and only 2 (5.8%) were classified as severe. Combination therapy was associated with significantly high occurrence (P < 0.05) of adverse drug reactions, with a total of 21 (61.8%) as compared to monotherapy (n=13, 38.2%). Cardiovascular adverse drug reactions constituted a major component, followed by gastrointestinal and respiratory complaints. Finally our study presents the adverse drug reaction profile of antihypertensive medicines prescribed in our University Teaching Hospital. Beta-blockers were the drug category associated with majority of adverse drug reactions, followed by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and calcium channel blockers.