Assessment of Prescription Practices by Junior House Officers for Hypertension Management in Relation to Clinical Guidelines and Comorbidities
Keywords:
Pharmacotherapy, Hypertension, Comorbidities, Guideline Adherence, JNC-8 Guidelines, Junior House OfficersAbstract
Background: The treatment of hypertension needed adherence to evidence-based guidelines to optimize outcomes, especially in patients with other comorbidities. Due to limited training and experience, Junior house officers often face challenges in adhering to such guidelines.
Objective: This study is designed to evaluate the prescription practices of Junior house officers for pharmacotherapy of hypertension, focusing on standard guideline adherence and management strategies in case of comorbidities.
Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on the prescriptions of 120 hypertensive patients from the in-patient department, with data collected between November 2020 and April 2021. Demographic data, comorbidities, treatment regimens, and adherence to JNC-8 guidelines were extracted from patient charts. Descriptive statistics were used to assess adherence to guidelines.
Results: In our study population, only 47.5% of prescriptions comply with JNC-8 guidelines. Vasodilators, diuretics, and beta blockers were the most frequently prescribed antihypertensive drugs, whereas statins and antiplatelets represented the predominant combination therapies. Diabetes was the most prevalent comorbidity (41.7%), followed by ischemic heart disease. Higher non-adherence to guidelines was observed in patients with multiple comorbidities, underscoring the influence of complex cases on JHOs' prescription practices.
Conclusion: The majority of JHOs' prescriptions for hypertensive patients were inconsistent with established guidelines, especially in complex cases involving comorbidities. This highlights the necessity for targeted educational interventions and enhanced support to improve guideline adherence and treatment outcomes. To address these deficiencies in hypertension management and enhance patient care in teaching hospital settings, JHOs should get more training and be allocated more resources.
