Antihypertensive therapy features in multimorbid outpatients

Objective. To assess the characteristics of antihypertensive therapy (AHT) in outpatient patients in relation to comorbidities and multimorbidity level. Design and methods. A cross-sectional study included 140 patients with diagnosed hypertension (HTN). We performed a standardized complaints and medical history registration, questionnaire survey, anthropometry, office blood pressure (BP) assessment. Based on Charlson index the patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 with moderate multimorbidity (≤ 4 points), group 2 with high multimorbidity level (≥ 5 points). The data are presented as median and proportions with bi-directional 95 % confidence interval. Results. In the sampling of 100 ( 64,3 71,4 78,6 %) women and 40 ( 21,4 28,6 35,7 %) men median age was 65 68 70 , median Charlson index was 4 5 5 . Group with moderate multimorbidity included 63 patients. High multimorbidity group included 77 subjects. HTN degree did not differ between the groups. Subjects from group 2 had higher level of cardiovascular risk (χ 2 = 17,2, df = 2, p = 0,00018) and were more likely to have a history of HTN-associated clinical conditions (χ 2 = 27,1, df = 2, p = 0,). By the time of examination, AHT was started in 137 ( 95,0 97,9 100,0 %) patients. Monotherapy was ongoing in 20 cases (8,814,3 20,4%), combined AHT was prescribed to 117 ( 79,6 85,4 91,2 %) persons: 50 ( 21,2 36,5 43,8 %) patients received 2 drugs, 67 ( 40,9 48,9 56,9 %) patients received ≥ drugs. Number of antihypertensive drugs was higher in patients of group 2 than in group 1 (χ 2 = 6,7, df = 2, p = 0,036). Drug number was not associated with HTN degree (χ 2 = 3,8, df = 4, p = 0,44). Patients from group 2 were more likely to take β 1 -blockers (p = 0,027) and moxonidine (p = 0,042). Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduced the frequency of achieving the target BP level in patients treated by angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (p = 0,002). The frequency of achieving target BP was 42,9 50,7 58,6 %, it was independent of the number of prescribed drugs (p = 0,07) and did not differ in the groups of moderate and high multimorbidity (p = 0,87). Conclusions. Multimorbid patients require combined antihypertensive drugs to control hypertension. Multimorbidity level, comorbidities and drug-to-drug interactions should be taken into account during individualized HTN management. NSAID significantly affect the effectiveness of antihypertensive therapy.