ANALYSIS OF PRESCRIBING TRENDS AT TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL OF CENTRAL INDIA

Dr. Shraddha N. Tatkare*, Dr. Nilesh Tatkare, Dr. Kiran Giri, Dr. Sangeeta Totade

ABSTRACT

Background: Proper prescribing habits and rational use of medicines can play a significant role in ensuring quality care at different levels of healthcare facilities. Prescribing patterns need to be evaluated periodically to increase the therapeutic efficacy, decrease adverse effects and provide feedback to prescribers. Objectives: the objectives were to evaluate prescribing patterns using drug use indicators and obtain information on the demographic characteristics of patients attending hospital. Methods: information regarding demographic, economic, diagnostic and treatment details was collected from the 800 prescriptions during the study period of april 2010 to july 2011. The prescriptions were analyzed for format adequacy; use of generics, injections and polypharmacy; incidence and rationality of fixed dose combinations (fdcs); common drugs prescribed; and socio-economic status of the patients. Results: format adequacy of the prescriptions was only 50%. Polypharmacy was common (2.38 drugs per prescription). The use of generics, injections and fdcs was 8%, 5% and 63.3%, respectively. Irrational drug combinations were used in a many instances. Analgesic and antibiotic use was common along all the opds. The average monthly per capita income of the patients attending this hospital was 1579 only. Conclusion: this study reveals that the prescriptions were poor in terms of completeness and rationality and there is considerable scope for improving the prescribing pattern. Adherence to standard treatment guidelines during prescription writing and periodic monitoring of institutional drug policy will help to improve health care delivery at affordable prices.

Keywords: Prescription pattern, Rationality, Polypharmacy, Fixed dose combinations.