Analysis of the structure of drug prescriptions in patients with arterial hypertension and atrial fibrillation in conditions of comorbidity and their compliance with the STOPP/START criteria
Authors: Kochetkov A. I. , Batyukina S. V. , Shatalova N. A. , De V. A. , Kulikov I. S. , Arablinsky N. A. , Voevodina N. Yu. , Shastina V. R. , Gorbatenkova S. V. , Chernyaeva M. S. , Ostroumova O. D. , Sychev D. A. 
Published: December 2022

Background. Arterial hypertension (AH) is often associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), is one of the leading modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease, atrial fibrillation (AF), chronic kidney disease (CKD). Progression of renal dysfunction is a powerful predictor of the onset of AF in patients with high blood pressure. Irrational prescription of drugs is a risk factor for adverse drug reactions, which is especially important for elderly patients and leads to an increased risk of adverse clinical outcomes.

Objective. To analyze the concordance of pharmacotherapy with the STOPP/START criteria in comorbid elderly patients with AH and combined DM2, CKD and AF treated in a multidisciplinary hospitals.

Design and methods. Included data from medical records of 1600 patients aged ≥ 65 years with AH and/or AF admitted to multidisciplinary hospitals in Moscow from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. Patients were divided into two groups — (1) AH in combination with AF (n = 822, women — 73%, median age 87 [79; 90]) and (2) control group (n = 778, women — 79,9%, median age 78 [71; 85]) Evaluation of the appointment of drugs was made according to the “STOPP/START” criteria.

Results. The number of patients who were not prescribed the recommended drugs was statistically significant (p < 0,001) and higher in the AH + AF group (785 people, 95,5%) compared to the control group (623 people, 80,1%). The number of patients who were prescribed potentially non-recommended drugs was similarly statistically significant (p < 0,001) higher in the AH + AF group (439, 53,4%) compared to the control group (328, 42,2%). The most common START criteria were: 1. Statins with a documented history of coronary, cerebral or peripheral vascular disease (in the AH + AF group — 672, 81,8% of the number of patients in the group; in the control group — 464, 59,6%; p < 0,001) 2. Clopidogrel in patients with ischemic stroke or a history of peripheral vascular disease (c respectively, 324, 39,4% and 237, 30,5%; p < 0,001) 3. Warfarin/direct oral anticoagulants in AF (in the group AG + FP — 294, 35,8%). The most common STOPP criteria were: 1. Drugs that can increase constipation in chronic constipation, if there is a more suitable alternative (in the AH + AF group — 160, 19,5% of the number of patients in the group; in the control group — 47,6%; p < 0,001). 2. Drugs with anticholinergic activity in chronic constipation (respectively, 111, 13,5% and 74, 9,5%; p = 0,013). 3. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers in patients with hyperkalemia (respectively, 26, 3,2 % and 94, 12,1%; p < 0,001). Similar results were obtained in the analysis of subgroups of AH + AF with concomitant DM2, CKD and without them.

Conclusions. The results obtained dictate the need to optimize pharmacotherapy in elderly and very old patients with AH and comorbidities in a hospital setting. In practice, START criteria are more common than STOPP, that is, in reality, the necessary drugs are often not prescribed where they are indicated and drugs with an unfavorable safety profile are prescribed relatively rarely in elderly and senile patients.