SUPPLY OF ANTIHYPERTEN SIVE DRUG S AND CARDIOVA SCULAR MORTALITY IN POLAND IN 2000–2010

Background and objective. In Poland, the sale of antihypertensive drugs has significantly increased since 2000. According to that fact, the aim of our study was to determine if the increased use of antihypertensive drugs correlates with the decreasing mortality due to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) including hypertension (HT). Methods. The analysis is based on data on annual national sales (million units) of four types of antihypertensive drugs in 2000–2010. For the same period standardized mortality rates were calculated based on the data available from the Central Statistical Office in Poland. Data analysis involved correlation analysis between annual mortality rates due CVD and HT and country-wide annual sales of antihypertensive drugs (2000–2010). Results. In the period 2000–2010, standardized mortality rates of CVD in the whole population followed a decreasing trend. Analysis of correlation of CVD with specific drug provided the following findings: diuretics (r=-0.97; p<0.0001) beta-blockers (r=-1.0; p<0.0001) renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors (r=-0.72 p=0.01) calcium-channel blockers (r=-0.82; p=0.001) Standardized mortality rates for the HT showed fluctuating trend. Correlations of that mortality with global sale of these drugs were no longer negative: r=0.54; p=0.08, r=0.56; p=0.08 r=0.55; p=0.07; r=0.63; p=0.03, respectively. Conclusions. In Poland, in 2000–2010, an improved access to pharmacological control of HT was associated with an apparent reduction in mortality from CVD but not from HT. The latter findings might reflect imprecise definition of HT as a cause of death or the fact that HT leads to other cardiologic events usually reported as a cause of death. KEY WORDS: antihypertensive drug therapy, cardiovascular disease, hypertension.