Table 1

Distribution of International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC) codes among patients with ≥ 1 code (N = 57,041)

ICPC codes
Disease entity
Reasons for exclusion
number
%

K87
Complicated hypertension
The presence of unknown complications may favor or preclude prescription of a particular drug class
3310
5.8%
T90
Diabetes Mellitus
Favors the choice of ACEIs
15560
27.3%
T901
Impaired glucose tolerance

353
0.6%
T92
Gout
Contraindication of thiazide diuretics
635
1.1%
T93
Lipid disorders
Favor the exclusion of thiazide diuretics and β-blockers
1186
2.1%
K90
Stroke/cerebrovascular accident
Favor the choice of β-blockers
1920
3.4%
K91
Cerebrovascular disease

130
0.2%
K74
Ischemic Heart Disease with angina

348
0.6%
K76
Ischemic Heart Disease without angina

1099
1.9%
K75
Acute Myocardial Infarction

213
0.4%
K77
Heart Failure
Favor the choice of ACEIs
794
1.4%
K84
Heart Disease, other
Favor the choice of β-blockers or ACEIs
168
0.3%
K99
Cardiovascular disease, other

113
0.2%
R79
Chronic Bronchitis
Contraindication of β-blockers
436
0.8%
R95
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

2199
3.9%
R96
Asthma

1083
1.9%
U14
Kidney symptoms/complaints
Either favor or a contraindication of ACEIs
312
0.5%
U88
Glomerulonephritis/nephrosis

36
0.1%
Y85
Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy
Favor the prescription of α-blockers
2917
5.1%
U78
Benign Neoplasm Urinary Tract

30
0.1%
Y79
Benign/unspecified neoplasm, male genital

1
0.0%

(ACEIs: Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors. There were a total of 46,859 patients (82.1%) Apart from K86 these conditions are influencing factors for antihypertensive drug prescription and were named "exclusion codes"

Wong et al. BMC Health Services Research 2008 8:138   doi:10.1186/1472-6963-8-138