[Quality of conventional release verapamil prescription in patients with arterial hypertension]

To identify patients who were being treated for hypertension with conventional release verapamil (CRV), and to notify the professional responsible for their health care on cardiovascular risk to which they are exposed and achieve a reduction in the number of patients who are treated with this drug.

A quasi-experimental prospective before and after study without a control group was conducted on 7289 patients diagnosed with hypertension who were on treatment with CRV, between October 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012 in 8 Colombian cities, collected from a database for dispensing medicines. Socio-demographic and pharmacological variables were evaluated. A total of 108 educational interventions were performed on those responsible for their health care, and evaluated within three months with the proportion of suspension of the prescriptions of CRV being evaluated. Multivariate analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0.

The mean age of patients was 67.9±11.8 years (range: 26-96 years), of which 70.6% were men. Withdrawal of treatment with CRV was achieved in a total of 1922 patients (26.3% of users), distributed as follows: 1160 (60.4%) were the presentation of 120mg, while 762 (39.6%) the 80mg. The variable being treated in the city of Medellin (OR: 17.6; 95% CI: 11.949 to 25.924; P<.01) was statistically significantly associated with the replacement of CRV for another antihypertensive.

A relatively moderate adherence to recommendations about the proper use of CRV in hypertensive patients, was found. Intervention programs that reduce inappropriate prescribing of potential risks to patients of insurance companies and cities where the change was not achieved, must be enforced.