Evaluation of prescribing pattern of drugs use in patients of coronary artery disease at a tertiary care hospital

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major cause responsible for mortality more in younger age group than in elderly. Studies have reported underuse of four evidence based medicines namely aspirin, β-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), and statins in patients with CAD, particularly in developing countries. Therefore, this study was planned to analyse the prescriptions of patients with CAD to determine the appropriateness of the prescriptions.Methods: After obtaining the Institutional ethics committee permission, a cross sectional observational study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital. Total 150 patients were enrolled from the outpatient department, wards and intensive care unit of medicine department. Total 150 patients’ prescriptions presenting with varied category of CAD were screened and analysed.Results: The most common categories of CAD encountered was ST segment elevated myocardial infarction (N=50, 33%) followed by chronic stable angina (N=29, 20%). Among the drugs prescribed, antiplatelet drugs were prescribed to 135 (90%), hypolipidemics to 134 (89%), nitrates to 114 (76%), beta blockers to 97 (65%), ACE inhibitors to 94 (64%), anticoagulants to 60 (40%) and miscellaneous drugs to 52 (35%), patients. Of 68 (45%) patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, 15 (22%) were prescribed only metoprolol and others were given ACE-I or ARBs.Conclusions: Among four evidence based drugs, use of 3 drugs, antiplatelets, beta blockers and hypolipidemics was apparent in 90% of prescriptions. Use of ACE inhibitors and ARBs was observed in type 2 diabetic patients with CAD, reflecting rational prescribing behavior of clinicians