Antihypertensive Medication Trends in Taiwan
Author Information
Author(s): Liu Pang-Hsiang, Wang Jung-Der
Primary Institution: National Taiwan University
Hypothesis
What are the prescription patterns and time trends for antihypertensive medication in newly-diagnosed uncomplicated hypertension patients in Taiwan?
Conclusion
There is a gap between current clinical practice and the desired goal of cost-effectiveness in antihypertensive treatment in Taiwan.
Supporting Evidence
- CCBs were the most commonly prescribed antihypertensive drugs.
- The prescription rate for diuretics was low at 8.3% for mono-therapies.
- There was a significant increase in the prescription rate for ARBs over time.
Takeaway
Doctors in Taiwan often prescribe expensive blood pressure medications instead of cheaper options, even though the cheaper ones work just as well.
Methodology
The study analyzed prescription data from a sample of 6,536 newly-diagnosed patients with uncomplicated hypertension from Taiwan's National Health Insurance database between 1998 and 2004.
Potential Biases
Potential confounding by severity of disease across different clinical facilities.
Limitations
The study could not directly compare the severity of hypertension among different patient groups due to lack of detailed clinical data.
Participant Demographics
The sample included 50% women, with 49.3% of participants aged 55 or older, and a mean age of 55.9 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 1.4–1.7 for ARB prescriptions
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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