[Is the profile of antihypertensive drug utilization justified?]

To describe the use of drugs to combat hypertension and to assess prescription in function of their counterindications to diuretics and beta blockers.

A descriptive cross-sectional study by means of an outside audit of clinical records.

11 urban Health Districts opened before 1991.

326 histories of adult hyperintense patients under pharmacological treatment were chosen at random (June-December, 1994).

Data were gathered on age, sex, present and former medication, reason for change, and counter-indications to diuretic or beta blocker treatments. Average age was 64.7 (SD 11.6); 66% were women. 437 active principles (AP) were used, of which Enalapril (68 patients) and Captopril (67) were the most common. 203 patients (62.3%; Cl 95%, 57.0-67.5) took one AP; 90 (27.6%; Cl 95%, 22.8-32.5) took two APs; 30 (9.2%), three APs; and 3 (0.9%), four APs. 47.8% of monotherapy was performed with ACE inhibitors; 27.6% with calcium antagonists; 15.3% with diuretics; 7.9% with beta blockers and 1.5% with alpha inhibitors. Diuretics were the drugs most commonly used in association.

There is little use of diuretics and beta blockers, but two-thirds of the prescription of other treatments are justified by a counter-indication to first-choice drugs.