DRUG UTILIZATION PATTERN IN PAEDIATRIC PATIENTS IN A SECONDARY CARE HOSPITAL

R. SENTHILSELVI; M. BOOPANA; Linta Sathyan; PRIYA VISUVASAM; V. GANESAN

doi:10.22159/ijpps.2019v11i4.30746

Authors

R. SENTHILSELVI Department of Pharmacy Practice, The Erode College of Pharmacy, Erode, 638112, Tamilnadu, India
M. BOOPANA Department of Pharmacy Practice, The Erode College of Pharmacy, Erode, 638112, Tamilnadu, India,
Linta Sathyan Department of Pharmacy Practice, The Erode College of Pharmacy, Erode, 638112, Tamilnadu, India,
PRIYA VISUVASAM Govt. Head Quarters Hospital, Tiruppur, Tamilnadu, India
V. GANESAN Department of Pharmacy Practice, The Erode College of Pharmacy, Erode, 638112, Tamilnadu, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22159/ijpps.2019v11i4.30746

Keywords:

Core indicators, an International network for rational use of drugs (INRUD), Index of Rational Drug Prescribing (IRDP), Poly-pharmacy, Essential drug list (EDL), Antibiotics

Abstract

Objective: The study was carried out to generate research on drug utilization pattern in paediatric patients in government headquarters hospital, Tiruppur, Tamilnadu, India using world health organization (WHO) and international network for rational use of drugs (INRUD) core indicator.

Methods: The core prescribing indicators of the world health organization was used to assess the appropriate use of drugs. Index of rational drug prescribing (IRDP) developed by Zhang and Zhi was also used to find out the performance of a health care system in terms of drug utilization.

Results: Out of 859 drugs in 200 cases the highest prescribed drug class is antibiotics 304(35.39%) and the majority of drugs were administered in injectable form 412(47.94%). It was analysed that a majority of prescriptions 117(58.5%) were discharged in between 4-7 d. 161(80.5%) patients were dismissed after completion of treatment. On analysing world health organization (WHO) prescribing core indicators, the average number of drugs per prescription was 4.29 which is higher than double the average number (i.e., 2). This indicates poly-pharmacy practice. 97.78% of drugs were prescribed were the generic name and percentage of encounters with antibiotic prescribed was 90.5% which is thrice greater than world health organization (WHO) standard<30%. Prescribing of injections is not within the world health organization (WHO) recommended range<20% and it was far higher showing 97.5% which is essential for paediatric inpatients. The prescribing practice in paediatric ward is in complete adherence to national essential drug list (EDL) or formulary. The mean value of the index of rational drug prescribing (IRDP) obtained was 3.09 which is very similar to that of optimal value world health organization (WHO).

Conclusion: Prescription by generic name, prescribing drugs from essential drug list (EDL) and free government supply are encouraging findings in this hospital. The result shows poly-pharmacy and overuse of antibiotics are the areas to be concerned. The better clinical outcome shows rational prescribing is practised well.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Linta Sathyan, Department of Pharmacy Practice, The Erode College of Pharmacy, Erode, 638112, Tamilnadu, India,

DOCTOR OF PHARMACY, 5 TH YEAR PHARMD

References

World Health Organization. Introduction to drug utilization research. Geneva: WHO; 2003.

World Health Organization. The rational use of drugs. Report of Conference of Experts: WHO; 1985.

Meena A, Kumar V, Agarwal A. Evaluation of drug utilization pattern in indoor patients of medicine department at tertiary care teaching hospital in Southern Rajasthan. Int J Pharm Sci Res 2016;7:3835-40.

Kumar MA, Ram KT, Ramasamy C. Cross-sectional prospective study on drug utilization in an outpatient paediatric department of tertiary care teaching hospital. Global J Pharmacol 2013;7:99-102.

Ramanath KV, Balaji BV. Study of outpatient prescription pattern of antibiotics in paediatric populations of two hospitals. Arch Pharm Pract 2013;4:21-7.

Sireesha G, Thomas JC, Patil PB, Doddayya H. A prospective study on medication prescribing pattern for paediatrics in a tertiary care teaching hospital. World J Pharm Pharm Sci 2016;5:654-66.

Ashraf H, Handa S, Khan NA. Prescribing pattern of drugs in outpatient department of a childcare centre in Moradabad city. Int J Pharm Sci Rev Res 2010;3:1-5.

The importance of pharmacovigilance; safety monitoring of medicinal products. Geneva, World Health Organization; 2002.

Abidi A, Gupta S, Kansal S. Prescription auditing and drug utilization pattern in tertiary care teaching hospital in western UP. Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol 2012;1:184-90.

Kearns GL, Abdel-Rahman SM, Alander SW, Blowey DL, Leeder JS, Kauffman RE. Developmental pharmacology–drug disposition, action, and therapy in infants and children. N Engl J Med 2003;349:1157–67.

World Health Organization. Promoting Safety of Medicines for Children. Geneva WHO; 2007.

Santos LD, Heineck I. Drug utilization study in paediatric prescription of a university hospital in southern brazil: off-label, unlicensed and high-alert medications. Farm Hosp 2012;36:180-6.

Gupta A, Maheshwari P, Dokania KK, Tambe JJ. Drug utilization pattern in sick paediatric patients: analysis for rationality and other aspects. Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol 2017;6:2815-21.

Murthy NV, Faisal EM, Kumar RS. Assessment of drug prescription pattern in paediatric patients. J Pharm Sci Res 2017;9:81-4.