Prospective assessment of antimicrobial prescribing pattern at a tertiary care hospital

Abstract

Background: Antimicrobial agents (AMA) are the greatest contribution to 20th century, which are used for cure and prevention of infections. Widespread use of antimicrobials has facilitated the development of resistance. Aim: The present study was done to screen rational use of antimicrobials in the medicine outpatient department of a teaching hospital. Methods: A total of 650 prescriptions were collected from the medicine OPD. Prescriptions containing antimicrobial drugs were analyzed for appropriateness in dosage, duration of therapy and fixed dose drug combinations (FDCs). The antimicrobials were grouped using the anatomical therapeutic chemical (ATC) codes. Statistical analysis: Data was analyzed by percentage. Results: Out of 650 patients, 180 patients (27.65%) received antimicrobials. Among them 25.33% patients were prescribed one antimicrobial and 18.88% were prescribed antimicrobial FDCs. Out of the 180 prescriptions, 47% were irrational. The most commonly prescribed antimicrobial categories were β-lactam antimicrobials (35.09%), followed by fluoroquinolones (18.88%) and combinations of antimicrobials from different groups (13.85%). Conclusion: Higher frequency of irrational antimicrobial prescriptions suggests that antimicrobial restriction policies and a multidisciplinary effort to reduce usage are urgently required.

Keywords

• Prescription pattern
• Antimicrobials
• ATC codes
• FDCs
• Rational pharmacotherapy