Objectives: The current study aims to assess community pharmacist's knowledge, practice and barriers towards ADR reporting systems in the Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 st August 2019 to 31 st October 2019 among the Community pharmacies in the Dammam, Saudi Arabia. 101 easily approachable community pharmacists participated in study. Results: The survey was sent to the 150 community pharmacists (CP), while only 101 surveys were received completely filled, the response rate of survey was 67.33%. The mean age of the survey respondents were 35.2±6.66 years. Among all the respondents 73(72.27%) were male and 28(27.73%) were female. Mean years of experience was 7.5±3.37. Overall, 90 (89.1%) respondents familiar with the term Pharmacovigilance (p<0.05). 40 (39.60%) community pharmacists agreed upon that they have sufficient knowledge and training on how to report ADRs (p<0.05). 67(66.34%) respondents never reported new ADR (not mentioned in drug leaflet) for any drug (p=0.001). 55(54.45%) respondents prevent different kind of serious ADRs during their practice (p=0.370). Conclusion: Community pharmacist working in Dammam were found to be unsatisfactory knowledge and practice on ADR reporting. The study also identified factors contribute in under reporting of ADR by community pharmacist. Drug regulatory agency and pharmacovigilance centres should take necessary steps to increase the awareness on ADR reporting among community pharmacist.
Diabetic mellitus is an emerging disease in Saudi Arabia. In this regard, a cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted to evaluate drug utilization pattern and the cost associated with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus disease management in Saudi Arabia. Data retrieved from the electronic pharmacy records during the last one year were employed in this study. World Health Organization (WHO) Defined Daily Dose (DDD) method was employed to compute the daily price of each oral hypoglycaemic agent. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines and protocols were used to evaluate the level of adherence. A total of 17057 patients were enrolled in the study. Out of the 17057 patients enrolled in the study, 60.06 % (10246) were males and the rest females. In monotherapy, biguanides (metformin) were the most recommended and utilised drugs among 5673 patients (33.25%). The most commonly used drug combination was found to be sitagliptin+metformin (1754 units). The cost per unit dose was highest for liraglutide (A10BJ02) 258.32SR (68.79USD), and lowest for metformin (A10BA02) 0.49SR (0.13 USD). Metformin was the choice drug for the diabetes patients; biguanides (metformin) and DPP-4 (sitagliptins) were the most familiar established dose combination employed. Generic drugs should be used in order to reduce overall cost.
Objective This study is based on a retrospective cross-sectional study to assess the prescribing patterns and cost-utility analysis of management of childhood asthma in Saudi Arabia. Methods Prescription data were collected for 1 year from electronic records of pharmacy. The unit dose price was retrieved from pharmacy database and compared with daily price based on WHO Defined Daily Dose (DDD) and Saudi Initiative for Asthma (SINA). The cost of each drug is calculated from average prices of each unit dose of each prescription. Key findings In male children (57.98%), asthma was more common in comparison to female children (41.02%) at the studied hospital. Salbutamol (44.55%) was the most commonly prescribed medication followed by budesonide (30.97%) and montelukast (12.82%), whereas prednisolone (0.15%) was the least prescribed medication for the management of childhood asthma. It was found that fixed-dose combination of budesonide and formetrol prescribed for the longest duration of therapy (30 days) and imposed highest cost as well [197.10 SR (52.53 USD)] among all the prescribed medicine. Conclusion In this study, inhalation route is the most preferred one for management of asthma; this may be due to their fast therapeutic action. Salbutamol was the most popular drug for quick reliever therapy, while budesonide was the most favoured drug for childhood asthma management. Medication prescribed for the management of childhood asthma at the mentioned study centre adhere to SINA guideline.
Objective The study was aimed to evaluate the cost and drug utilization pattern of anticoagulant drugs in a clinical setting in Saudi Arabia. Method A cross‐sectional retrospective study was conducted in a private hospital in Saudi Arabia. World Health Organization, defined daily dose, and American Society of Hematology methods were used to compute the daily price of each anticoagulant agent. Key findings Consumption of oral anticoagulants was very less as compared to the parenteral. Apixaban was the most prescribed oral drug, while enoxaparin sodium was the drug of choice among the parenteral. In oral anticoagulants, the unit‐wise cost was found to be highest for Rivaroxaban (12.60 SR (3.36 USD) and less for Warfarin (0.82 SR (0.22 USD)). Heparin sodium cost (51.62 SR (13.76 USD) was found to be the most expensive parenteral agent while the least expensive was Phytomenadione (3.76 SR (1.00 USD)). Conclusion Apixaban was the preferred oral anticoagulant among all the studied anticoagulants, although Warfarin is the cheapest. Therapeutic drug monitoring was recommended for Warfarin. The study highlights the importance of more studies to measure the advantages and disadvantages of all types of anticoagulants.
Objectives Fungal infections in humans are superficial or systemic and are found to be life threatening. They are common among the middle age group and particularly in females and immunocompromised patients. Methods This study was conducted to evaluate the prescription pattern of antifungal drugs and their economic burden on patients. The study was designed as a single centered, cross-sectional retrospective pharmacy database study of utilization of antifungal drug therapy and their cost analysis. Data for the period from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019 were retrieved from the inpatients and outpatient electronic pharmacy records along with the unit dose prices of antifungal drug in the study hospital. Key findings Antifungals use was more among females (67.05%) compared with males (34.91%). The use was predominant among middle age group (31–45) with Clotrimazole being the most utilized lower cost topical drug and fluconazole the next preferred systemic drug with least toxicity. Variconazole is a novel drug utilized the least among all age groups due to its adverse effects and higher cost. Clotrimazole is the drug of choice topically due to low cost and lesser absorption orally. Fluconazole is the next preferred drug that can be given systemically and its use remain unchanged due to lower cost and least toxicity in immunocompromised patients. Conclusions Variconazole although have adverse effects and used rarely it is the drug preferred in invasive treatments when benefit outweighs the risk. Variconazole is highly expensive drug used in invasive treatments and its adverse drug reactions, and cost need to be monitored.
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