THE DRUG UTILIZATION PATTERN OF ANTIMICROBIALS IN ENT OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF WESTERN RAJASTHAN

Mohammad Haroon Gouri*, Rajkumar Rathore, Pratiksha Ladla, Monika Sharma and Archana Vyas

ABSTRACT

Background: Respiratory tract infections have high and frequent incidence and thus are among the most important human health problems. The antimicrobials are commonly used in ENT departments. Thus prescription-auditing involving the utilization patterns of antimicrobials should be done time to time to ensure their rational use. Methods: A prospective, cross –sectional, observational study was done for 6 months (Sept. 2019 to Feb. 2020) In the ENT OPD of MDM hospital, a tertiary care hospital associated with Dr. S. N. Medical College, Jodhpur for treatment of common ENT diseases. The data was analyzed in form of frequency and percentage. Results: Total 782 prescriptions were analyzed. Out of which, 417 were of male patients (53.32%) and 365 (46.67%) of female patients. All 3278 drugs prescribed were in their generic names and from list of essential medicines (100%) for state of Rajasthan. Average number of drugs per encounter were found to be 4.19. Antimicrobials (24.87%) were most commonly prescribed (including oral, topical and parentral route), followed by NSAIDs (23.39%), antihistaminics (15.33%), vitamin supplements (12.80%), anti-ulcer drugs (9.58%), nasal decongestants (4.92%), corticosteroids (3.84%), antiseptics (1.00%) and others (4.22%). Most frequently used antimicrobials were cefixime (27.99%), followed by ciprofloxacin (24.59%), amoxicillin + clavulanic acid (24.22%), clotrimazole (11.96%) and neomycin (4.71%). Total number of antimicrobials prescribed in this study were 1061, out of which total number of antibiotics were 934 (88.03%) and antifungals prescribed were 127 (11.97%). Conclusion: Cefixime (27.99%), followed by ciprofloxacin (24.59%) were most frequently used antimicrobials in our study. The use of the generic name was found to be satisfactory, but the average number of drug per prescription was high. An antibiotic policy has to be developed for the doctors in treating infections so that rationality in using the antibiotics will be developed and the occurrence of antibiotic resistance can be reduced.

Keywords: Antimicrobials, ENT, drug utilisation pattern.