[The use of drugs as a risk factor for poorly controlled arterial hypertension].

OBJECTIVE

To describe use of medication simultaneously with antihypertensive drugs that can cause inadequate pharmacological control of hypertension (HTA).

DESIGN

A descriptive observational retrospective study.

SETTING

Four urban health care center, Valencia.

PARTICIPANTS

389 patients with hypertension and chronic treatment card opened (TLT).

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN

RESULTS

Were collected from de TLT and from the health history (HS) the number and type of drugs used against the hypertension and drugs with hypertensive effects, and number of potential interactions, type and duration of simultaneous treatment. 32.39% of the study subjects used drugs with potential hypertensive effects. The mean of interactions found were 1.75; 145 drugs were responsible of the 220 potential interactions found, 66.89% were non-steroids anti-inflammatory drugs (AINEs) and 23.45% antacids; 6.43% of the patients used another drug that increases by itself blood pressure; 96% of them were glucocorticoids. Jointly administration of drugs with potential antihypertensive effect occurs in 63.18% among drugs chronically prescribed. In a 28.45% the concurrent treatment was kept longer than 9 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The third part of the hypertensive patients with pharmacological treatment, during a year-long period, used any moment, some drug with potential hypertensive effect. The third part of them this simultaneous treatment was kept for more than 9 months. It is necessary to take into account the use of other drugs simultaneously with antihypertensive drugs.