PHÂN TÍCH ĐẶC ĐIỂM LỰA CHỌN THUỐC ĐIỀU TRỊ TĂNG HUYẾT ÁP: NGHIÊN CỨU ĐA TRUNG TÂM TẠI THÀNH PHỐ THỦ ĐỨC

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the prescribing patterns of antihypertensive medications among outpatients in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using retrospective data from all outpatient visits for patients diagnosed with hypertension (ICD-10 = I10) covered by health insurance at two Class-1 General Hospitals in Thu Duc City between January and September 2024. Antihypertensive drug utilization was evaluated based on the number of drugs prescribed per visit, the number of drug classes combined, and the strategies employed in drug combinations. Data were summarized as visit counts and percentages. Results: A total of 219,797 hypertension-related outpatient visits were included in the analysis. Among these, 96.4% involved hypertension with comorbid conditions, with 133,214 visits associated with cardiovascular diseases. Treatments involving 4 to 5 drugs accounted for 36%, while 6 to 7 drugs were prescribed in 25% of visits. Of the 201,964 visits where antihypertensive medications from guideline-recommended classes were used, 24.1% involved monotherapy, 32.2% involved dual therapy, 27.5% involved triple therapy, and 1.8% involved four-drug combinations. A wide range of combination regimens was observed within the five recommended drug classes. Conclusion: The findings highlight a notable proportion of patients who were either not initiated on combination therapy in line with current guidelines or received multiple single-agent drugs, resulting in complex regimens that may compromise adherence. To enhance treatment outcomes, the study emphasizes the importance of initiating combination therapy early and utilizing fixed-dose combination tablets, where feasible, to improve adherence and therapeutic effectiveness.