Description of the prescription patterns of montelukast in the municipality of Camagüey

Abstract

Background: montelukast is an effective therapeutic alternative for asthma and allergic rhinitis.Objective: to describe the prescription patterns of montelukast in the municipality of Camagüey during 2015.Methods: a descriptive, cross-sectional study on drug use, prescription/indication type, with elements of therapeutic scheme was carried out. The universe consisted of 1223 prescriptions of montelukast and the sample was 179. The variables studied were: age group, presentation form, indications, use of inhaled glucocorticoids, daily dose, dose interval, specialty of the prescribers and prescription type.Results: prescriptions prevailed in patients aged 15 years and older with 77,09 %. The most used form of presentation was the 10 mg coated tablet with 79,89 %. Asthma led to the highest number of prescriptions (160, for 89,38 %) and 51,95 % of the cases used montelukast combined with inhaled glucocorticoids (ICG). The daily dose of 10 mg prevailed in 140 cases, representing 78,21 %; with a 24-hour dose interval in 174 cases for 97,21 %. The largest number of prescriptions were made by specialists in Family Medicine (117, for 65,36 %), and were found inadequate in 12,85 % of the cases.Conclusions: the prescription patterns of montelukast were described in the study sample, indicated mainly in the case of asthma and in a daily dose with a 10 mg coated tablet.

Keywords

• leukotriene antagonists
• asthma
• rhinitis, allergic
• therapeutics
• drug utilization.