Study on Quality of Life in Hypertensive Patients

The study titled, “Study on quality of life in hypertensive patients” was a prospective study conducted in a 640 bedded multispeciality hospital in the department of Cardiology for a period of ten months from June 2011March 2012. A total of 170 hypertensive patients were enrolled in the study. The patients diagnosed with hypertension at least 6 months before getting enrolled in this study. The specific objectives are to evaluate whether patients enrolled in the study is associated with improved Health related Quality of Life (HRQOL). A baseline study was conducted at the time of enrolment for control and intervention group to assess the patients' perception about hypertension and their medications. Patients were also divided into an intervention and control group. Intervention group received pharmaceutical care through patient counselling, life style modifications whereas the control group patients were not provided any pharmaceutical care till the end of the study. Quality of Life of patients in both the groups was assessed at regular intervals using the SF 36 health survey questionnaire. In the baseline study, the short form SF-36 Health Survey questionnaire was provided to the control group and intervention group. The baseline study was performed at the time of enrolment for both the control and intervention group. For control group, SBP and DBP values during the baseline study was 151.29±12.32 mmHg and 95.76±6.79 mmHg. The average SBP and DBP values for intervention group during the baseline study were 149.88±12.77 and 92.82±5.48 mmHg respectively. The average BMI was 26.32 ± 2.51 kg/m2 for control & 25.90 ±3.73 kg/m2 for intervention group during the baseline period respectively. The mean scores for the control group patients at the baseline were physical functioning (42.20±28.72), limitation due to physical health (33.58±18.77), limitation due to emotions (30.29±21.15), vitality (35.46±14.67), bodily pain (32.33±16.70), social functioning (39.95±18.94), general health (25.60±14.47) and mental health (28.80±15.08) respectively. The intervention group patients showed an improvement in the mean scores at the baseline were physical functioning (48.12±27.15), limitation due to physical health (52.54±23.21), bodily pain (55.49±20.64), social functioning (58.18±22.41), general health (58.55±19.12), mental health (49.95 ±18.75), vitality (52.86±21.02), limitation due to emotions (47.61±24.21) respectively. The p value between the two groups at initial and final visit showed a significant difference (<0.05). The results concluded that by providing good pharmaceutical care services, pharmacists can help hypertensive patients to achieve a desired blood pressure control and thereby to lead better Quality of life. Rexjournal ISSN 2321-1067 Renewable Research Journal Rexjournal Volume 3 Issue 3 Page | 127