Drug Use Pattern Using WHO Prescribing Indicators: A Descriptive, Cross-sectional, Retrospective Study | Chapter 06 | Current Aspects in Pharmaceutical Research and Development Vol. 3

 In order to encourage rational drug use, it is necessary to examine drug use patterns in developing countries using World Health Organization (WHO) drug use indicators. The goal of this study was to assess drug prescription patterns in Tirana, Albania, as well as the level of rational prescribing. The outpatient pharmacy conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective research of 1000 prescriptions chosen by systematic random selection from 5000 prescriptions received in 8 pharmacies in Tirana. The WHO prescribing indicators were analysed using the SPSS package 21. The index of rational drug prescribing (IRDP) was calculated to assess reasonable prescribing. A total of 2.406 drugs were prescribed on average. Generic names accounted for 43.85% of prescriptions, with antibiotics and injections accounting for 53.3 percent and 10.3 percent of prescriptions, respectively. 24.10 percent of all prescriptions were from the national essential medicines list. The most regularly given pharmacological classes of drugs were antibiotics (51.5 percent), vitamins (49.4%), and NSAIDS (22.70 percent). The IRDP was 2.728 instead of the desired value of 5. The WHO standard for the average number of medicines per prescription, prescriptions with generic names and drugs from the essential medicines list, and IRDP were all broken. However, other issues, such as antibiotic prescribing practise, average quantity of medicines per prescription, prescribing by national essential drug list, and generic names, still require attention.

Author(S) Details

Rezarta Shkreli
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University Aldent, Tirana, Albania.

Klodiola Dhamo
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University Aldent, Tirana, Albania.

Afrim Tabaku
Pharmacotherapeutics Research Centre, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University Aldent, Albania.

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Prescribing Pattern of Antimicrobial Agents in the Post-operative General Surgery Ward of a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital: A Prospective Observational Study | Chapter 15 | Technological Innovation in Pharmaceutical Research Vol. 8

 Background: This prospective observational study was done to know the current prescription trend of antimicrobial agents in the post-operative ward. To evaluate the current pattern of antimicrobial agents in the post-operative surgical cases of a tertiary care teaching hospital.

The goal of this study was to look at the antimicrobial resistance pattern of culture isolates in post-operative general surgery cases. To evaluate the case for switching from one antimicrobial agent to another.

Methods: From April 2013 to March 2014, the study was conducted in conjunction with the Departments of General Surgery and Pharmacology. In the carefully built case proforma, all factors such as demographic data, antimicrobials agents given by surgeons, dose, frequency, duration, route, formulation, brand or generic medications, and adverse events were collected. SPSS version 17.0 was used to perform descriptive statistics.

Results: During the study period, 513 patient case records were analysed in which males are higher than females. A total of 816 drugs were used in 484 patients during the study period. 162 were on a single drug, 190 were on two drugs, 42 were on three drugs and 90 were on fixed dose combination. Brand name of the drugs and parenteral route of administration were preferred in the study. Cephalosporins (52.32 percent ) and metronidazole (34.38 percent ) were the most commonly prescribed group of antimicrobials followed by penicillin (0.9 percent ), aminoglycosides (6.58 percent ), quinolones (5.23 percent ), macrolides (0.45 percent ) and tetracycline (0.14 percent ). In all, 135 patients (27.89%) received pharmaceuticals that were not on the WHO's essential medicine list, while 112 patients (23.14%) received drugs that were not on the national EML.

Conclusions: Third-generation cephalosporins were the most commonly administered antibacterial medication in the post-operative ward. Antibiotics should be prescribed rationally to avoid polypharmacy and medication resistance. To support the appropriate use of medications in surgery, there is a definite need for the development of prescribing guidelines and educational programmes. Our research will aid clinicians in their understanding of the essential medicine list.

Author (s) Details

Velvizhy Ramalingam
Department of Pharmacology, Aarupadai Veedu Medical and Hospital, Pondicherry, India.

J. Johan Pandian
Department of Pharmacology, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Pondicherry, India.

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