Pharmacovigilance Studies of Antihypertensive Medications in Teaching Hospital of Hyderabad, Sindh

Objective: To assess the adverse drug reactions due to anti hypertensive therapy among hypertensive patients at teaching hospital of Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan. Methodology: The current study was performed in a teaching hospital of Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan. A cross sectional study was conceded in medicine and cardiac outpatient department during the period of study. A total of 1271 hypertensive patients were enrolled during the period of 2 years by purposive sampling procedure. A series of questions were asked by the hypertensive patients. The questionnaire contains the demographic details of the patients, prescribing trend and various ADRs found in patients due to antihypertensive therapy. The written consent was also taken from the health care professionals as well as patients. Results: Out of 1271 patients, 57.99% belong to male gender, 79.78% to urban areas, 69.16% enrolled from cardiac OPD, 32.33% were aged between 49-58 years of age, 21.40% had 1 parent positive history of hypertension and 44.22% had 3-5 years duration of hypertension. Maximum patients were on dual therapy i.e. 42.64% and the most common combination therapy was valsartan+amlodipine i.e. 11.99%. Moreover the most common combination therapy that caused maximum ADRs was telmisartan+hydrochlorothiazide i.e. 17.54%. Conclusion: The existing passive pharmacovigilance department should be active again under Drug regulatory authority of Pakistan. A council will create under the Drug regulatory authority of Pakistan that helps to communicate with international organizations such as Uppsala monitoring center under World Health Organization, Food and Drug Administration etc. Moreover council will also establish a system of ADRs reporting throughout the country and then data will share with all stake holders.