Key result
Patients prescribed only one antihypertensive medicine were significantly more likely to have controlled blood pressure compared to those prescribed multiple medicines (OR 5.75).
Why the study?
Controlling blood pressure in hypertensive patients is challenging due to lack of antihypertensive medicines, negatively impacting BP control in rural South African PHC facilities.
Does the availability of prescribed antihypertensive medicines improve blood pressure control in patients with chronic hypertension attending rural primary health care facilities?
Observational (n=55)
Yes
Does the availability of prescribed antihypertensive medicines improve blood pressure control in patients with chronic hypertension attending rural primary health care facilities?
A significant lack of antihypertensive medicine availability in rural South African primary care facilities highlights a major barrier to effective blood pressure control.
Single-agent prescriptions were associated with better BP control in this rural cohort; leaves open whether availability or regimen complexity drives outcomes.
OBJECTIVE: Controlling blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients is a challenge, with the lack of antihypertensive medicines negatively impacting on BP control. Consequently, we assessed the availability of prescribed antihypertensives among patients with chronic hypertension attending primary health care (PHC) facilities in a rural province of South Africa and explored any association between medicines availability, the number of prescribed antihypertensive medicines and BP control. METHODS: Secondary data that included patients' demographics, BP, and data on medicines availability of the intervention group from a 3 months' operational study conducted in rural PHC facilities in South Africa were analyzed. The association between medicines availability, the number of antihypertensive medicines, and BP control was explored. FINDINGS: = 0.017; odds ratio: 5.75; 95% confidence interval: 1.46, 22.61). CONCLUSION: It is concerning that one-third of patients went home without all of their antihypertensive medicines from PHC facilities in this Province of South Africa where there is evidence of use of herbal medicines and uncontrolled BP contributing to high morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases. Additional studies are needed to fully explore the association between medicines availability, their use, and BP control among patients.
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Rampamba et al. (2021) conducted an observational in Chronic hypertension (n=55). Prescription of only one antihypertensive medicine vs. Prescription of multiple antihypertensive medicines was evaluated on Controlled blood pressure (OR 5.75, 95% CI 1.46-22.61, p=0.017). Patients prescribed only one antihypertensive medicine were significantly more likely to have controlled blood pressure compared to those prescribed multiple medicines (OR 5.75).
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