Document Type

Research Project

Publication Date

Spring 4-2019

Abstract

Obesity is a growing problem in the United States, though not a new one. It was estimated that over 72 million U.S. adults alone have a diagnosis of obesity. Among all preventable premature deaths, obesity ranks as the second leading cause. Contemporary classifications define obesity as a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30. Several common comorbidities are widely present in obese populations, particularly hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. Among these chronic disease states, hypertension has been identified as the most common and earliest identifiable. The purpose of this study was to make inferences on the prescribing of antihypertension medications in an obese population, as well as the associated cost of said medications. Cerner’s Health Facts Library, a health records library that contains de-identified patient information was employed for this study. Structured Query Language (SQL) was used to design tables that incorporated all relevant and necessary information for analysis of the study question. The results of this study showed that ACE inhibitors were the most commonly prescribed blood pressure lowering class of medication in this obese population. Of this class, the ACE inhibitor lisinopril was the most commonly prescribed. Lisinopril was also identified as the cheapest ACE inhibitor.

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