Publication:

Drug utilisation study in surgery outpatient department at Ashwini Rural Medical College, Kumbhari, Solapur

Background Drug utilization studies should be regularly conducted to increase therapeutic efficacy, decrease adverse effects and provide feedback to prescribers to promote the rational use of drugs. Systematic audit of prescriptions in Surgery Outpatient Department are very few in India. This study was conducted to study drug prescription pattern in Surgery Outpatient Department (OPD) in Ashwini Rural Medical College, Kumbhari.

Methods Six hundred prescriptions were screened and analyzed as per the study parameters at Surgery OPD of Ashwini Rural Medical College, Kumbhari. Study parameters like demographic profile of the patient like age, sex and diagnosis were recorded. Also groups of drugs commonly prescribed, number of drugs per patient, drug profile and drawbacks of prescription if any were recorded and analyzed. The percentage of the drugs prescribed by generic names and from the essential drug list was calculated.

Results Most common group of drugs prescribed by physicians were drugs for peptic ulcer (27.26%), followed by antimicrobials (20.89%). The average number of drugs prescribed per patient was 2.98. Drug prescription by generic name was low (8.82%). The incidence of polypharmacy was common occurrence and some prescriptions had small drawbacks like absence of diagnosis, absence of doctor’s signature, absence of patient age etc.

Conclusions Prescribing by generic name and from the essential drug lists should be encouraged. Training sessions on the correct method of writing prescriptions are needed.