Age and Gender Trends in Prescribing and Utilization of Lipid-Lowering Drugs at a Public Hospital in Alkharj City
Nehad J. Ahmed *
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia.
Menshawy A. Menshawy
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia.
Ziyad S. Almalki
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed A. Alhajri
Department of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: Lipid-lowering drugs are used to decrease low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and as a result, they are used in both secondary and primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to observe the prescribing trend of lipid-lowering drugs and to describe the gender and age-related differences in the outpatient setting of a public hospital in Alkharj city.
Methodology: This is a cross-sectional observational study that was conducted in outpatient setting of a public hospital in Alkharj city and included the review of electronic outpatient prescriptions. The data was collected and analyzed using Excel software; the descriptive data were represented by percentages and numbers.
Results: The most prescribed lipid-lowering drug in the present study was atorvastatin (62.36%) followed by simvastatin (29.34%). The study found that there are several differences in lipid lowering medications use patterns among different gender and age groups. Therefore, frequent reviews of lipid-lowering drugs use and prescribing pattern are important to optimize patients’ treatment.
Conclusion: It is important in the future to make stratified guidelines based on patient characteristics such as age and gender.
Keywords: Age, antihyperlipidemic, gender, lipid-lowering, use.