Objective: The objective of the present study was to assess the prescribing pattern of cardiovascular drugs in outpatients in a tertiary care hospital of Kanchipuram district, India. Methods: A prospective study of cardiovascular prescriptions of outpatients of cardiology department was carried out. A total of 215 prescriptions were collected for the study in Sri Ramasamy Memorial (SRM) Medical College Hospital and Research Centre from August 2010 to March 2011. The prescriptions were evaluated for rationality based on WHO model list of essential medicines. The prescriptions were critically analyzed using pre-determined parameters. Results: Out of 215 prescriptions collected, 120 drugs were found to be repeatedly prescribed. The results revealed that all single dose formulations prescribed were rationally in accordance with WHO essential drug list whereas fixed dose combinations prescribed remain questionable. A pattern of polypharmacy was clearly evident as each patient was prescribed with more than 5 to 9 drugs. Conclusion: Campaign and intervention should be focused on patients with more than three diagnostic cardiovascular conditions in order to minimize polypharmacy in elderly patients.
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