Treatment of complicated and uncomplicated hypertension with nifedipine in Palestine.

OBJECTIVES: It is generally agreed that short acting calcium channel blockers (CCB) as nifedipine are not safe as the reflex increase in sympathetic activity and thus, their use in hypertension (HTN) is questionable. The objective of this study was to determine the extent of utilization of short acting nifedipine in the treatment of complicated and uncomplicated HTN in one of the major districts in Palestine, Nablus.

METHODS: The data for this study were collected from patient's medical files. Data collection was made over a period of 6 months (April - October 2003) in Nablus, Palestine. The sample studied included 876 patients with cardiovascular diseases. Focus was made on the 262 patients with uncomplicated HTN and the 147 patients with both HTN and diabetes mellitus.

RESULTS: A total of 247 (28.2%) patients in the study sample were receiving CCB. One third (33.7%) of patients with uncomplicated HTN were receiving CCB mainly as monotherapy with most of them (61%) were receiving the old generation nifedipine as a short acting formulation. Use of nifedipine was also more common among elderly patients above the age of 60 years.

CONCLUSIONS: There was a tendency to use short acting nifedipine as antihypertensive monotherapy among patients with either uncomplicated or complicated HTN. This irrational use needs to be reviewed since it is associated with higher risks.