Antibiotic Prescribing in Various Clinical Departments in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Northern India

Abstract

Background: Antibiotic resistance is not only a problem for the individual patient; it also reduces the effectiveness of established treatment and has become a major threat to public health by increasing the complexity and cost of treatment and reducing the probability of a successful outcome. Aim: A prospective cross sectional study was carried out with the aim of identifying prescription pattern of antibiotics in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Northern India. Materials and Methods: A total of 300 prescriptions were collected, collated and analysed from the indoor patients of MG hospital, Jaipur, India from the department of Medicine, Surgery and Orthopaedics. The prescribing and dispensing details of antibiotics from each prescription were recorded in the tabular form as mentioned in Data Acquisition form. Comparison of antibiotic prescribing practices among all the three departments was made by using Percentage method. Results: Majority of prescriptions (51%) with single drug was prescribed in Medicine department, followed by 16% in surgery and only 2% in Orthopaedics. Prescriptions with 3 drugs were prescribed mostly in Orthopaedics (66%) followed by 46% in Surgery and 10% in Medicine. 51% prescriptions in Orthopaedics department were of Ceftriaxone+ Sulbactam+ Amikacin. Thirty four percent prescriptions in Medicine department were of Ceftriaxone. 18% prescriptions in Surgery department were of Ceftriaxone+ Sulbactam+ Tobramycin. Conclusion: This study clearly highlights the practice of PolyPharmacy and injudicious usage of antibiotics in hospital settings. The Government of India is planning to revise the antibiotic policy issued in 2011 and put a ban on over the counter availability of third generation antibiotics. General public awareness and sensitization of doctors and revision of clinical drug policy is the need of the hour to bring the changes at all possible level for the longterm and better clinical outcome in medical practice.

Keywords

• antibiotic resistance
• prescription monitoring
• rational use of medicines