To Study The Prevalence Of Polypharmacy Among Patients With Hypertension At Tertiary Care Centre

This study aims to assess the prevalence of polypharmacy among patients with hypertension attending a tertiary care center. Polypharmacy is defined as the concurrent use of five or more prescribed medications. Hypertension is a common chronic condition that often coexists with other diseases such as diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disorders leading to the use of multiple drugs. The increasing burden of polypharmacy is associated with adverse drug reactions drug  drug interactions medication nonadherence and increased healthcare costs.

This is a prospective observational cross sectional study conducted in the Department of Pharmacology in collaboration with the Department of Medicine at a tertiary care hospital. Adult patients aged thirty years and above diagnosed with hypertension and attending the outpatient department during the study period will be included after obtaining informed consent. Demographic details clinical parameters comorbid conditions and complete medication profiles will be recorded using a structured proforma.

The primary outcome of the study is to determine the prevalence of polypharmacy among hypertensive patients. Secondary outcomes include assessment of appropriateness of polypharmacy evaluation of factors associated with polypharmacy analysis of antihypertensive prescribing patterns and identification of potential drug drug interactions and adverse drug reactions. Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. The findings of this study are expected to provide insight into prescribing practices and help promote rational use of medicines among hypertensive patients.