Trends in Management of Congestive Heart Failure patients in A Tertiary Care Hospital -A Retrospective Study

Background: Chronic heart failure is a common cardiovascular disease (CVD) which is a progressive disorder and results in a poor quality of life. Drug utilization studies is a strong explanatory tool to ascertain the usage of drugs in the population. It helps to maintain the rationality of prescription, to minimize the cost of therapy and adverse effects. Studies on prescribing trends in CHF patients are few; hence periodic assessment of drug use in CHF patients will help to promote the rational drug use. Aim: To analyze the current prescribing pattern in CHF patients. Methodology: A retrospective observational study for 5 months was undertaken in General medicine and Cardiology department in a tertiary care teaching hospital. A total number of 135 congestive heart failure inpatients case sheets were collected and analyzed. Results: It was found that 62.33 % were males and 37.33% were females. The age group of about 65-69 years (36.29%) people was mostly affected by CHF. Hypertension (36.29%) and diabetes mellitus (17.78%) and both DM and HTN (19.26%) were the most commonly associated comorbidities in CHF patients. Cardiac glycosides are the most commonly prescribed drugs in nearly 90.37% of prescription. Followed by diuretics 88.88% and other anti hypertensives 80.7%. Among the anti hypertensives, CCBs 82.35% and ACE inhibitors 79.83% are most commonly prescribed. Conclusion: Cardiac glycosides, anti-anginal, anti-platelet and anti-hypertensives are most commonly prescribed in congestive heart failure patients. Most of the drugs were prescribed rationally according to the standard WHO treatment guidelines.