Antibiotic-prescribing pattern in the outpatient departments using the WHO prescribing indicators and AWaRe assessment tool in a tertiary-care hospital in South India

Abstract

Context: Rational drug use has a great role of influence in health care. The fact sheet given by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that around 50% of the drugs are prescribed, dispensed, and sold inappropriately. One of the major consequences of irrational drug use in infections is antibiotic resistance. Aim: The present study aims to assess the antibiotic-prescribing pattern by auditing the prescriptions in a teaching hospital. Settings and Design: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in the pharmacy of a teaching hospital to evaluate the prescriptions of the outpatient department. Materials and Methods: The prescriptions used to treat symptoms suggestive of infections were taken into consideration. A total of 1,000 prescriptions were analyzed. Data Analysis: The data was analysed using Microsoft Excel. Results: A total of 2,536 drugs were prescribed. The average number of drugs per prescription was 2.5. The percentage of encounters with antibiotics prescribed was 17.5%. The percentage of encounters prescribed with a generic name and with drugs from the essential drug list was 87.5% and 65%, respectively. There were no injections prescribed. Amoxicillin and ciprofloxacin were the most common antibiotics prescribed. The duration of the treatment was mentioned in all the prescriptions. Conclusions: Our study shows that the percentage of antibiotic usage is within the WHO standard value. The average number of drugs per prescription was slightly higher than the WHO value. Steps should be taken to improve the generic prescribing by the physicians.

A study on drug usage pattern of antibiotics in patients with skin disorders

“…In our present study, according to AWARE classification of antibiotics, drugs from access classification accounted for major proportion than watch classification (57% and 43% respectively). The commonly prescribed drugs were from the access group and this result is similar to the study conducted by Priyadharshini et al 35…”

“…This is lower than the WHO standard value (100%). Moreover our values are lower comparing with the various other Indian studies conducted by Priyadharshini et al, 35 (62.5%) Mani et al, 37 (69%) and Pradeep kumar et al, 36 (91.48%). The Essential Medicine List (EML) or Essential Drug List is intended to satisfy the major health care needs of the majority of the population.…”

“…The value was slightly higher than WHO standard value (normal range < 2). Moreover, the value was also higher compared to the findings from one of the South Indian studies by Priyadharshini et al, 35 (2.5) and also lesser than that of study conducted by Pradeep kumar et al, 36 (3.53). The percentage of encounters with antibiotics is 4.50% which lies within WHO standard value (normal range <30%), but lower when compared with studies of Priyadharshini et al, 35 (17.5%), Mani et al, 37 (29%) and Pradeep kumar et al, 36 (50.0%).…”

“…Moreover, the value was also higher compared to the findings from one of the South Indian studies by Priyadharshini et al, 35 (2.5) and also lesser than that of study conducted by Pradeep kumar et al, 36 (3.53). The percentage of encounters with antibiotics is 4.50% which lies within WHO standard value (normal range <30%), but lower when compared with studies of Priyadharshini et al, 35 (17.5%), Mani et al, 37 (29%) and Pradeep kumar et al, 36 (50.0%). The percentage of encounters with injection is 12% which is within the range of WHO value (<20%) but lower than the study conducted by Mani et al, 37 (48%).…”

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“…Around 2,500 years ago, the Chinese made its irst reported usage. It was discovered during this period that healing illnesses with molded soybeans yogurt would have some bene icial properties [1]. It was such ef icient that it soon became the norm during therapy.…”