Table 1.

Prescription of antihypertensive medications by drug class among total antihypertensive drug visits, NAMCS 2003–2004.^*

Antihypertensive drug class	All hypertensive patient visits	Hypertensive patient visits without compelling comorbidities †	Hypertensive patient visits with compelling comorbidities
Any diuretics	46% (41% 50%)	47% (42% 52%)	41% (33% 49%)
Thiazide-type diuretics ‡	78% (73% 84%)	81% (75% 87%)	69% (59% 79%)
β-blockers	36% (32% 41%)	35% (29% 41%)	39% (31% 47%)
ACEIs	37% (32% 41%)	34% (29% 38%)	46% (37% 55%)
ARBs	24% (20% 28%)	24% (19% 28%)	26% (19% 33%)
CCBs	27% (23% 30%)	26% (22% 31%)	27% (21% 33%)
Combination drug therapy	58% (54% 63%)	58% (53% 63%)	61% (51% 70%)
Combinations of 2 drug classes §	63% (58% 68%)	68% (62% 74%)	50% (41% 59%)

^*Antihypertensive drug visits are patient visits diagnosed with hypertension and treated with any antihypertensive drug therapy. Numbers in parentheses are 95% CLs. Percentages may sum to >100% across drug classes due to combination drug therapy.

^†Compelling co-morbidities include hypertensive organ damage, ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, and chronic renal disease.

^‡Percentages (95% CLs) of antihypertensive drug visits in which a diuretic was reported.

^§Percentages (95% CLs) of antihypertensive drug visits in which combination drug therapy was reported.