NON-STEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS: A STUDY OF PRESCRIBING TRENDS AND SIDE EFFECT PROFILES

Abstract

Hypertension (HTN) can affect all ages despite gender and ethnicity. In our study it was proved that HTN appears more often in women than in men. In this project, 80 patient cases with diagnosis of HTN were collected from which 75 patients had history of use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s).  In elderly people, arthritis and other inflammatory problems become more frequent and a significant number of people are treated with NSAID. Below the age of 35 years, the prevalence of HTN was higher in males but after 35 years, it was higher in females. There was small BP increase in normotensive patients taking NSAIDs approximating +1.1 mm Hg. Patients with treated HTN showed variable increase with NSAID treatment, ranging up to + 14.3 mm Hg for SBP and +2.3 mm Hg for DBP. Most antihypertensive medications have decreased effects with concomitant NSAID administration, with the exception of calcium channel blockers. It appeared that NSAIDs increase BP in patients with controlled-HTN, but the quantity of this increase was variable.