Abstract
Regular audit of drug use and prescribing behaviors in health facilities is essential to understand existing gaps and providing interventions to improve rational use of medicines and the treatment outcomes. This study examined anticonvulsant drugs utilization to generate data to generate data for studies aimed at improving drug use. The study was a retrospective cross sectional study of prescribing and facility indicators using outpatients’ prescriptions and facility records. Patients prescriptions and facility records from January 2011 to December 2015 were arranged and sorted. Eligible prescriptions with at least one anticonvulsant were randomly selected systematically. The study lasted from January 2016 to February 2017. Data was analyzed for patients characteristics, average number of drugs per encounter, percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name, availability of copy of essential drugs list or formulary and availability of key drugs. The mean age was 32.45 ± 12.61years. Prescriptions numbering 102 were sorted and analyzed. Anticonvulsants were the highest prescribed medications 253 (49.6%) followed by antiemetics 187 (36.5%), while antipsychotics were the least prescribed 0.5%. Carbamazepine was the most prescribed anticonvultant 74(72.6%). Twice daily was the highest dosage regimen 73.5%. The average number of drugs per encounter was 5.1± 0.2 while the percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name was 171(33.3%) against the recommended 100%. The percentage of injections prescribed was 15(2.94%), while that of antibiotics was 11.5%. The percentage of drugs prescribed from essential drug list was 409 (79.9%) while the percentage of key drugs available at the facility was 34.6%. A copy of essential drug list was available at the facility. The study showed inappropriate prescribing and facility indicators, an indication of irrational use of anti convulsants and poor patient’s practices. It underscored the need for intervention studies towards improved drug use process in our health facilities.
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