An Observational Survey on the Recent Prescribing Patterns in Cardiac Disease Management in Dhaka North City

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major public health concern at present. Additionally, it is the main cause of death globally. It directly involves more than 17 million deaths each year. A variety of cardiac conditions are Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), Angina, Heart Arrhythmias, Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD), Stroke, Heart Attack, Carditis, Cardiomyopathy, Congenital Heart Disease, Heart Failure, Valvular Heart Disease, Ischaemic Heart Disease (IHD), etc. [1,2]. Among them, Heart attacks and strokes account for more than four out of every five CVD deaths, and one-third of these deaths happen before the age of 70 [2]. Similar to other countries, Bangladesh is seeing an increase in the prevalence of cardiovascular disease as a cause of morbidity and mortality. Due to epidemiological change over the past few decades, this country's major illness pattern has shifted from primarily communicable to non-communicable, with cardiovascular disease playing a significant role in the latter [3]. In our country, it has been observed that Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), and hypertensive illness are becoming more and more widespread [3]. The main risk factors for the cardiac disease include elevated blood pressure, high sugar, and lipid levels [4,5]. A significant direct risk factor for CVDs, obesity [defined as a high Body Mass Index (BMI)] also serves as a contributor to other intermittent risk factors including diabetes mellitus and hypertension. The reasons for higher CVD rates in developing nations are mostly fast urbanization, altered food patterns, increased tobacco use, and insufficient physical activity. Bangladesh has the greatest prevalence of CVD risk factors among South Asian nations, according to the INTERHEART study [6]. In Bangladesh, 99.6% of men and 97.9% of women are exposed to one or more known risk factors for CVD. However, in Bangladesh, there is a relatively low degree of public awareness of the risk factors for CVD. Additionally, there were also poor identification and control rates, which may have been brought on by low literacy rates, limited access to healthcare, or different priorities [5,7]. The management of cardiovascular disease emphasizes prevention over treatment. However, it became clear from various population-based studies that cardiac medicines can also significantly prolong life as well as reduce the incidence of hospitalization. Common medicines for managing the diversity of cardiac conditions are Vasodilators, beta-blockers, lipid-lowering medications, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, diuretics, etc. [8]. The assessment of trends in prescribing patterns is an effective exploratory technique to evaluate current medication use habits and the appropriateness of prescriptions. This kind of research is essential for identifying trends and setting objectives since it has enormous socioeconomic and medical significance [9]. The current study aims to understand the recent prescribing patterns in cardiac management in Dhaka North City. This study also aims to evaluate the patient’s non-pharmacological responsiveness, knowledge about polypharmacy, and overall satisfaction and cost-effectiveness of cardiac treatment.