[Assessment of the utilization of angiotensin receptor blockers in hypertension]

To assess the degree in which the utilization of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in our Healthcare Area fits the criteria proposed by the Autonomous Community of Madrid (CAM) before setting «Plan de Actuación de ARA-II» («Action Plan ARA-II»). To study the indications for which are prescribed and to identify those factors that can show influence in prescription.

Drug utilization study of the type indication-prescription, descriptive and transversal, for which ARBs-treated and hypertensive patients admitted to a University General Hospital for a study period of 3 months were selected. Based on the clinical situations summarized in the CAM Document «Criterios para establecer el lugar en la terapéutica de los antagonistas de los receptores de la angiotensina II» («Criteria for the place of angiotensin receptor blockers in the therapeutic»), a percentage of patients with «appropriate prescription» and «inadequate prescription« of ARBs was calculated and analyzed in order to determine if the age and the sex were related to the type of prescription or the main indications for which they had been prescribed.

Out of the 153 patients included in the study, 67.3% had a «inadequate prescription«, 47.6% of them due to an ARBs prescription as the first drug inhibitor of the reninangiotensin- aldosterone system and 34.0% owing to a poor control of blood pressure with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi). There were no statistically significant differences found either by age or sex in the type of prescription or in the main indications for which they were prescribed.

The adequacy of the criteria for the utilisation of ARBs Document occurred in 32.7% of cases. In addition, factors such as age and sex did not seem to affect the type of prescription. Misconceptions of superiority of ARBs versus ACEi were evidenced as well.