Assessment of Adverse Drug Reactions Associated with Antihypertensive Therapy in Clinical Practice

Abstract

Hypertension is a major global health concern requiring long-term pharmacotherapy, often associated with Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) that may affect patient compliance and therapeutic outcomes. This prospective observational study was conducted over six months at a tertiary care hospital in Solapur, Maharashtra, to assess the incidence, pattern, severity, and causality of ADRs associated with antihypertensive therapy in clinical practice. A total of 120 hypertensive patients receiving one or more antihypertensive drugs were included. ADRs were identified using structured reporting forms and evaluated using the WHO-Uppsala Monitoring Centre (WHO-UMC) causality scale and Hartwig severity scale. A total of 35 ADRs were reported, indicating an incidence of 29.1%. ACE inhibitors (34.3%) and calcium channel blockers (28.6%) were the most commonly implicated drug classes. Frequently observed ADRs included dry cough, dizziness, hypotension, and pedal edema. Most ADRs were mild (57.1%) to moderate (34.3%) in severity, with the majority categorized as probable (51.4%). The study highlights the importance of pharmacovigilance, early ADR detection, and rational prescribing in improving patient safety and therapeutic outcomes..

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