Physician gender and antihypertensive prescription pattern in primary care.

Objectives: To determine: (i) the gender-based differences of physicians in prescribing antihypertensive drugs in the management of hypertension; (ii) the influence of patient comorbidity such as diabetes mellitus on the gender-based pattern of antihypertensive prescription, and (iii) gender-based prescription patterns among family physicians (FPs) and general practitioners (GPs).

Methods: A survey study was carried out at 15 out of 20 health centres in Bahrain during May and June 2000. A total of 3971 prescriptions, issued to 2705 patients with uncomplicated hypertension and 1266 patients with diabetic hypertension by 77 FPs (female = 54, male = 23) and 41 GPs (female = 11, male = 30), were analysed.

Prescribing pattern of antihypertensive drugs by family physicians and general practitioners in the primary care setting in Bahrain.

The aim was to determine whether there are differences among family physicians (FPs) and general practitioners (GPs) in terms of their preference for different classes of antihypertensives, either alone or in combinations, in uncomplicated cases of hypertension and to determine the extent of adherence to WHO/ISH guidelines. We have analysed prescribing of antihypertensives by qualified family physicians (FPs) (n=77) and compared this with that of general practitioners (GPs) (n =41) by auditing 1791 prescriptions of FPs and 914 prescriptions of GPs, issued to patients with uncomplicated hypertension, at 15 out of 20 health centres in Bahrain. The choice of antihypertensive(s) by FPs and GPs was comparable and conformed with the WHO/ISH guidelines as regards preference for: (i) beta-blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and calcium channel blockers (CCBs) as monotherapy; (ii) two-drug combinations (diuretic-beta-blocker; beta-blocker-CCB); (iii) three-drug combinations (diuretic-beta-blocker-CCB; diuretic-beta-blocker-ACE inhibitor; beta-blocker- ACE inhibitor-CCBs), and (iv) choice of drug used for the elderly either alone (CCBs) or as combinations (diuretic-beta-blocker; beta-blocker-CCB and diuretic-beta-blocker-ACE inhibitor; diuretic-beta-blocker-CCB).

Family physicians' and general practitioners' approaches to drug management of diabetic hypertension in primary care.

Rationale, Aims And Objectives: To compare the pharmacotherapeutic approaches to diabetic hypertension of family physicians (FPs) and general practitioners (GPs).

Methods: A retrospective prescription-based study was conducted in 15 out of a total of 20 health centres, involving 115 primary care physicians--77 FPs and 38 GPs, representing 74% of the primary care physicians of Bahrain. Prescriptions were collected during May and June 2000 to comprise a study population of 1266 diabetic-hypertensive patients.