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Adherence to Renal Function Monitoring Guidelines in Patients Starting Antihypertensive Therapy with Diuretics and RAAS Inhibitors: A Retrospective Cohort Study

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Abstract

Background

Acute kidney injury (AKI) might complicate antihypertensive therapy. In The Netherlands, general practitioner clinical practice guidelines provide clear recommendations on monitoring of renal function to minimize this risk. Our objective was to investigate how day-to-day clinical practice corresponds to the guidelines.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study in a dynamic population, using data on >9,000 adults that was retrieved from the Integrated Primary Care Information database. We investigated whether serum creatinine (SCR) was measured within 30 and 365 days after the start of (combined) use of a diuretic, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, and/or angiotensin receptor blocker. We also investigated the association between calendar year, sex, type of therapy, risk factors for AKI and practice and SCR measurement.

Results

Of 6,593 subjects who met the study criteria for single drug therapy, SCR was measured in 1,233 subjects within 30 days and in 3,896 subjects within 365 days. For combined drug therapy recipients (n = 2,497), these were 545 and 1,687, respectively. Associated cumulative probabilities were 19 % and 66 % with single drug therapy, and 22 % and 74 % with combined drug therapy. Significant differences were observed between practices. SCR measurement was associated with other characteristics, except for sex. Within 365 days, SCR increased >30 % of baseline in 103 subjects (1.6 %) after the start of single drug therapy, and in 85 (3.4 %) subjects who initiated combined drug therapy. In the majority (>70 %) of these subjects, this did not result in subsequent monitoring or adjustment of antihypertensive treatment.

Conclusions

Results from this study suggest that, on average, renal function is not monitored as strictly as recommended by relevant clinical practice guidelines.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Marcel de Wilde, Kris Sieradzan and Mees Mosseveld for the collection of data and maintenance of the IPCI database.

Conflicts of interest

No sources of funding were used to assist in the preparation of this study. Miriam C. Sturkenboom is heading a research group that occasionally conducts research for pharmaceutical companies, including Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer and Eli Lilly. None of these are related to the subject of this manuscript. Katia M. Verhamme has received unconditional grants from Yamanouchi, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer and Novartis. None of these are related to the subject of this manuscript. Jan C. van Blijderveen, Sabine M. Straus, Maria A. de Ridder and Bruno H. Stricker have no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Informatics, Erasmus Medical Center, Room Ee2116, Dr. Molewaterplein 50, 3015 GE, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Jan C. van Blijderveen, Sabine M. Straus, Maria A. de Ridder, Miriam C. Sturkenboom & Katia M. Verhamme

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Bruno H. Stricker

  3. Drug Safety Unit, Inspectorate of Healthcare, The Hague, The Netherlands

    Bruno H. Stricker

Authors
  1. Jan C. van Blijderveen
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  2. Sabine M. Straus
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  3. Maria A. de Ridder
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Correspondence to Jan C. van Blijderveen.

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van Blijderveen, J.C., Straus, S.M., de Ridder, M.A. et al. Adherence to Renal Function Monitoring Guidelines in Patients Starting Antihypertensive Therapy with Diuretics and RAAS Inhibitors: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Drug Saf 37, 369–377 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40264-014-0160-0

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