DRUG UTILIZATION STUDY IN OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT OF PAEDIATRICS OF TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

BACKGROUND Children constitute a large proportion of total population in developing countries. They are prone for moderate-to-severe illness and more vulnerable to various adverse effects related to drug used, so it is important to study drug utilization pattern in paediatrics population. OBJECTIVE To analyse drug utilization among Paediatric Outpatient Department and to assess the prescriptions for WHO recommended prescribing indicators. MATERIAL AND METHODS This study is a cross-sectional, analytical study. It was carried out in Department of Paediatrics at J. K. Hospital, Bhopal, M. P. over a period of 3 months involving all children up to 12 years of age attending the Paediatrics OPD during the study period. RESULTS Total of 320 patients up to 12 years of age prescriptions were analysed, which includes 55% male and 45% female. Total 890 medicines prescribed were analysed, in which 85.0% of medicines were prescribed from hospital formulary. The most common medicine prescribed was paracetamol 26.4%, antibiotics 21.2% and bronchodilator were 19.2%. Average number of drugs prescribed per prescription was 2.7 +/- 0.8. Most common antibiotic prescribed was amoxicillin with clavulanic acid in 22.3% patients. Medicines prescribed by generic name were 71.6%. Oral route of drug administration was common in 80.5%. CONCLUSION On assessing the WHO indicators in the present prescription audit provided information about the problems and faults in the current practice. The percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name, percentage of antibiotic and injections prescribed were less. However, there was overprescribing of drugs to the outpatients that need a special attention of all doctors and clinical pharmacists to work together to establish a rational protocol for clinical use of drugs.