Arterial Blood Pressure Pharmacological Treatment in Latvia: Medication Prescription Characteristics

Description

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of death globally. Non-adherence to medical arterial hypertension (AH) treatment remains low (45.9%). ESC/ESH guidelines of AH management recommends simplifying the regimen by reducing number of pills. This study aimed to examine the prescribing practice of antihypertensive medications after the regulatory changes in drug prescription from 2020 (mandatory use of INN – international non-proprietary name).. Cross-sectional multicentre study (outpatient hospitals) was performed from 5 December 2022 to 9 December 2022, experts’ interviews (n=15) were conducted. . Among specialists, 40.0% were cardiologists (n=6), 26.7% - internists (n=4), 33.3% - general practitioners (n=5) with work experience 15 ± 3.22 years. Experts (n=11) reported that their drug prescription habits were affected by 2020 pharmaceutical reimbursement regulations (INN use became a mandatory prescribing medicine) pushing them to use INN medicines. The majority (n=11) are aiming to prescribe fixed-dose combinations (FDC’s) and brand-name medications (n=8). In majority of cases (n=12) doctors regularly are asked to prescribe brand-name medications. Choice of prescription absolutely (n=15) is affected by safety for patient, mostly by efficacy (n=12) and own experience (n=9). When prescribing the FDC’s, the reduction of patient annual visits to doctors observed 80% of experts. Mostly, non-compliance to the treatment reported by patients was observed due: complex medication schedule/regimen (55.3%) and high cost of treatment (33.3%). In cases when FDC’s were prescribed, 85% of patients achieved the target of blood pressure.. 2020 pharmaceutical reimbursement regulations significantly influenced doctors’ prescribing habits by increasing of INN prescriptions. The rate of fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) increased and is most frequently chosen in accordance with ESC/ESH guidelines. The proportion of INN and FDC’s prescriptions increased but is still insufficient to improve non-compliance caused by complex medication schedule (55.3%).

Period	29 Mar 2023
Event title	RSU Research week 2023: Society. Health. Welfare
Event type	Conference
Conference number	9
Organiser	Rīga Stradiņš University
Location	Riga, LatviaShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International