Retrospective Drug Utilization of Cardiovascular Drugs in A Tertiary Healthcare Setting in Malaysia

Objective: The general objective of this study was to analyse the utilization patterns of cardiovascular drugs among a sample of patients in a tertiary healthcare setting during the preceding two years. Methodology: This study design was exploratory, descriptive and retrospective. Data were extracted from the case sheets pertaining to patients who had been admitted to the study site and administered CV drugs during the preceding two years, into customized data collection format. A total of 100 patient data were obtained, based on the inclusion criteria. The data collected were then analyzed by SPSS v22. Results: A total of 29 males (28.4%) and 73 females (71.6%) data were analysed. The majority of the patients were in the age range 50-55 years. Among the ethnic groups, the Malays (72.5%) were the highest, followed by Indians (14.7%) and the Chinese (11.8%). The co-morbidities observed among the sample are depicted in Table 1 with p < 0.001 (Chi-square test). It was noted that the combination of HTN +DM was the most observed (18.6%). Among the CV medications, statins (54.9%), antiplatelets (39.2%), anticoagulants (26.5%) and beta-blockers (33.3%) were more commonly used for these patients. Conclusion: The usage of all these medications was in accordance with the national guidelines in Malaysia. The mean CV drug count was 3.16, which though optimal might be indicative of potential non-compliance among patients.