Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a therapeutic interchange protocol for angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB's) in the maintenance of blood pressure levels for institutionalized elderly patients diagnosed with hypertension.
Methods: A new protocol was discussed by the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, and its implementation by the Pharmacy Department was authorized. The protocol specifies equivalent doses between drugs and the patients' clinical follow-up. Criteria used in the assessment includes: need to change dosage for an ARB included in the Pharmacotherapeutic Guide, and blood pressure changes after drug interchange.
Results: In the absence of hepatic insufficiency, the protocol may replace the standard doses of any drugs within this group with losartan 50 mg daily. If needed, the dose of losartan may be increased to 100 mg daily divided into two doses. Eighteen patients, which represent 10% of all interchange operations carried out by the Pharmacy Department, were included in this study. Blood pressures both before and after the interchange process show no major differences between them. Only two patients required an increase in the dose of losartan.
Conclusion: The implementation of a therapeutic interchange protocol as agreed upon by the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee allows the clinical follow-up of patients and therefore facilitates an evaluation of the process. This ARB interchange protocol, as suggested for the institutionalized elderly population setting, has proven effective in maintaining anti-hypertensive activity.