Abstract

The study evaluated drug utilization in heart failure therapy among inpatients at Al-Gamhuoria Teaching Hospital, Aden, in 2013. This descriptive study was carried out among heart failure patients who were admitted at Al-Gamhoria Teaching Hospital, Aden, during the period April 30thto July 30th, 2013. After obtaining the verbal informed consent, the interviews have been done using a structured data collection form. It covered the patient's general characteristics such as age, gender, marital status, education level, residential area and income, characteristics about medical history(HF symptoms, type of the concomitant disease under treatment) and characteristics about medication history (type of drugs, number of medications, dose, frequency and side effects). The medical charts have been checked to verify the data. The study has included 40 heart failure patients; 33 (82,5%) of them were males and 7 (17.5 %) females. The mean age of the patients was 61.5 ± 10.3 (range 45 - 80) years. More than 79% (23 ∕ 29) of the participants had low educational level and most of the participants came from Aden 67.5% followed by Abyan 22.5% .All admitted study patients (100%) showed the NYHA functional classical signs and symptoms of heart failure, including shortness of breath (dyspnea;87.5 %), Fatigue (57.5%), and peripheral edema (72.5%). Almost half of the study HF patients ( 47.5%) were classified as NYHA functional class ш The mean age increases from 61 ± 4.5 in NYHA functional class II to 68 ± 11.3 years in NYHA functional class IV. 31.6 % of the patients (12 ∕ 38) had more than 100 beats per minute. Treatment of the study sample revealed 62.5% improvement, while one third of the participant (37.5) did not show improvement. Iischemia, non-ischemic heart disease or both made 7.5%, 52.5% and 37.5% of the patients, respectively. The preponderance was for hypertension and diabetes mellitus. 36.1 % of the total main drugs classes for HF treatment were diuretics, including aldosterone antagonist, followed by drugs blocking renin angiotensin system (RAS, 28.7%). Beta-blockers including carvedilol and bisoprolol made only 5.7% of the total drugs used. Diuretics and drugs blocking renin angiotensin system are the most used, but limited practice of carvedilol and bisoprolol. Hypertension and diabetes are the major comorbidities among the patients.