Drug therapy problems and their predictors among hypertensive patients on follow up in dill chora referral hospital, dire dawa, eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

The optimal treatment of hypertension plays a key role in achieving target blood pressure in hypertensive patients. The efficacy of a medication regimen, however, may be limited by a range of drug therapy problems. The objective of the study was to assess drug therapy problems among hypertensive patients and their predictors on follow up. Materials and Methods: A Hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted from 10 March to 10 April, 2015 to assess drug therapy problems among hypertensive patients and their predictors on follow up in Dill Chora Referral Hospital. A convenient sampling method was used and a total of 271 hypertensive patients were included in the study. Data were collected through medical record reviews of patients including prescriptions using a prepared standard checklist and pre-tested questionnaire. All data were coded and entered using SPSS version 20.0 for statistical analysis. Data were described and summarized using tables and graphs. Prevalence of drug therapy problem was determined using descriptive statistics. Mean & Standard deviation of all continuous variables were calculated. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis with 95% confidence interval was employed to infer associations and predictions. Result: A total of 378 drug therapy problems were identified in 271 patients, averaging 1.39 ± 1.28 problems per patient. There were more females (60.1%) than males (39.9%) hypertensive patients. Mean age of the patients was 57.73 ± 12.13 years, ranging from 25 to 94 years. One hundred ninety three (71.2%) of the patients had at least one DTP. Need additional drug therapy (62.43%) and non-adherence (45.75%) were the two most common DTP identified. Independent factors which predicted the occurrence of DTPs in the study population were presence of comorbidity (AOR = 5.74, 95%CI = 2.49, 13.00) number of medication, (AOR = 7.03, 95%CI = 2.33, 21.25) and suboptimal blood pressure (AOR = 7.67, 95%CI = 3.70, 15.90). Conclusion and Recommendation: DTPs are common among hypertensive patients on follow up in the study area and most commonly need additional drug therapy and non-adherence. Patients with hypertension are prone to different DTP for different reasons including presence of comorbidity and concurrent medication. Patients need for hypertensive treatment should be tailored and a strategy to promote pharmaceutical care is highly needed and training of patients in medication use is essential.