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  • Title: Queen Mary Utilization of Antihypertensive Drugs Study: side-effects of antihypertensive drugs.
    Author: Cheung BM, Wong YL, Lau CP.
    Journal: J Clin Pharm Ther; 2005 Aug; 30(4):391-9. PubMed ID: 15985053.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Effective prevention of cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients requires good control of blood pressure. Side-effects of antihypertensive drugs affect tolerability and compliance. Accordingly, we surveyed side-effects in the hypertension outpatient clinic. METHODS: A total of 228 patients (109 men, 119 women) were interviewed in April-May 2004 in the Queen Mary Utilization of Antihypertensive Drugs Study. RESULTS: The percentage of patients receiving no drug (life-style modification), one, two, three and over three drugs were 3, 30, 40, 22 and 6% respectively. The proportion of patients taking calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers (BB), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, thiazide diuretics, alpha-blockers and angiotensin receptor blockers were 65, 64, 33, 24, 4 and 7% respectively. Blood pressure on treatment was 144+/-21/82+/-11 mmHg. Among patients on antihypertensive drug therapy, 34% reported adverse effects: dizziness (9%), ankle swelling (7%), headache (5%), fatigue (4%), chest discomfort (3%) and cough (3%). Fewer patients on BBs reported side-effects (OR 0.46, P=0.008). The likelihood of experiencing side-effects was unrelated to sex, age, weight, BMI, years of treatment, number of drugs used, heart rate on treatment or compliance. CONCLUSIONS: To achieve good blood pressure control, multiple drugs are used. Thiazides are underused whereas BBs are popular. The popularity of the latter may be related to its tolerability.
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