Antibiotics prescribing pattern in a tertiary health-care center in Northern Kerala – An observational and cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Antimicrobial agents (AMAs) are the mainstay of treatment in modern medicine. In view of emerging threat of antimicrobial resistance, there is a requirement aimed at identifying patterns of antimicrobial prescribing. This study focuses on the prescribing pattern of AMAs and the incidence of adverse drug reaction (ADR) among the inpatients of Malabar Medical College and Hospital, Calicut. Aims and Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate antibiotics prescribing pattern and ADR’s in a tertiary health-care center in Northern Kerala. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective and observational study for a period was 6 months between March 2023 and August 2023. A total of 500 enrolled patients were observed from admission till discharge. Medical case sheets, drug charts, and laboratory investigations were recorded in a self-designed standardized performa and analyzed. Results: Most of the patients were in the age group 51 to 60 (26%), followed by 61 to 70 (22%), followed by 71 to 80 (16%). Out of 500 patients assessed, 64% were males and 36% were females. Out of 100 prescriptions, 64% of the prescriptions were in the parenteral form, 30% oral, and the remaining in topical form. Out of 500 prescriptions, 83% used brand name while prescribing, while the remaining 13 % used generic name. The most commonly prescribed antibiotic was Cefoperazone-Sulbactem combination (16%) followed by Piparacillin, Tazobactam, and Azithromycin Combination. Out of 500 patients, 30 patients (6%) developed ADR. The most common ADRs seen with the study included hypersensitivity (44%), gastrointestinal upset (30%), and headaches (10%). Conclusion: From an analysis of 500 patients from six in-patient departments, it was found that hospital doctors prescribed antibiotics more logically, with fewer newer drugs and no banned ones. ADRs were seen in 6% of patients, which was comparatively higher compared to previous studies.