Patterns of drug use and drug dispensing in dermatology outpatient prescriptions in a tertiary care teaching hospital
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20182932Keywords:
Dermatology, Prescription pattern, Rationale drug use, WHO core drug use indicatorsAbstract
Background: Periodic assessment of drug prescribing and dispensing pattern in a hospital facility shall play a major role in avoiding the inappropriate use of drugs which leads to potential hazards and expenses for the patients.
Methods: The objective of the study was to analyse the patterns of drug use and dispensing in dermatology outpatient prescriptions from a tertiary care teaching hospital in south India. Data were collected over a period of one month from patients attending dermatology outpatient department by scrutinizing 100 prescriptions and analyzed using WHO formulated “core drug use indicators” like the format, prescribing pattern and rationality of prescriptions.
Results: The total number of drugs prescribed in 100 prescriptions was 233 i.e. on average 2.33 drugs were prescribed per patient. The patient's name and age were mentioned in all the prescriptions while diagnosis, dose, route of administration, dosage form, duration of therapy and prescriber's identity was written in 43.29%, 68.04%, 69.07%, 100%, 49.48% and 63.91% prescriptions respectively. Out of all drugs, 42.91% were generic drugs and 57.08% were from National Essential Drug List of India. Steroids (18.02%) were the most common group of drugs used, followed by keratolytics and emollients (15.87%). Most of the drugs were given by topical route (47.63%).
Conclusions: A prescription by a doctor is a reflection of physicians’ attitude towards the disease and the role of drug in its treatment. It also provides an insight into the nature of health care at that facility. Interventions to rectify over proper prescription format and prescription of generic drugs are necessary to further improve rational drug use in this facility.
Metrics
References
Atif M, Sarwar MR, Azeem M, Naz M, Amir S, Nazir K. Assessment of core drug use indicators using WHO/INRUD methodology at primary healthcare centers in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. BMC Health Serv Res. 2016;16:684.
World Health Organization. How to investigate drug use in health facilities: selected drug use indicators; 1993. Available at: http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/en/d/Js2289e/. Accessed 18 Oct 2015.
Tikoo D, Chopra SC, Kaushal S, Dogra A. Evaluation of Drug Use Pattern in Dermatology as a Tool to Promote Rational Prescribing. 2011;13(3):4.
Shewade DG, Pradhan SC. Auditing of prescriptions in a government teaching hospital and four retail medical stores in Pondicherry. Indian J Pharmacol. 1998;30:408-10.
Minocha KB, Bajaj S, Gupta K. A clinic pharmacological study of outpatient prescribing pattern of dermatological drugs in an Indian tertiary hospital. Indian J Pharmacol. 2000;32:384-85.
Badar VA, Shrivastava MP, Badwaik RT. Surveillance of drug prescribing trends in skin OPD of IGMC. Indian J Pharmacol. 2002;34:150.
Nithyanandan NA, Jhaj R, Balakrishnan S. Prescription audit in a tertiary care center in rural Pondicherry. Proceedings Pharmacology today progressing academia-industry interactions New Delhi. 2003:256.
Maini R, Verma KK, Biswas NR, Agrawal SS. Drug utilization study in dermatology in a tertiary hospital in Delhi. Ind J of Physiolo and Pharmacol. 2002 Jan 25;46(1):107-10.
Narwane SP, Patel TC. Shetty YC, Chikhalkar SB. Drug Utilization and Cost Analysis for Common Skin Diseases in Dermatology OPD of an Indian Tertiary Care Hospital – A Prescription Survey. Bri J of Pharmaceuti Resear. 2011;1(1):9-18.
Biswas NR, Biswas RS, Pal PS, Jain SK, Malhotra SP, Gupta AS, et al. Patterns of prescriptions and drug use in two tertiary hospitals in Delhi. Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. 2000 Jan 5;44(1):109-12.
Georgekutty KV, Sambasivam N, Nagarajan M. A study on drug prescribing pattern in Madurai city. Indian J Pharmacol. 2002;34:361-2.