The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7384 p65
21 January 2006

This article
Reprint   Photocopy

  Acrobat Reader

News summary

Most patients on thiazides do not have electrolytes monitored

Two-thirds of patients prescribed thiazide diuretics in primary care have not had their electrolytes checked, according to a paper published this week (British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2005;61:87).

The study looked at records of 2,942 patients who had received at least one prescription for a thiazide between 1990 and 2002. Around 33 per cent had a recorded check of their electrolytes and, of these, 20.6 per cent had a low sodium or potassium level. Hyponatraemia was associated with increased age and hypokalaemia was associated with higher doses of thiazides.

Data relating to co-morbidity and concurrent medicines were not collected.