Abstract
Introduction: Fixed dose combinations (FDC) enhance the efficacy of individual drugs, decrease the chances of drug resistance, improve patient compliance and also decrease the pill burden on the patients. Irrational prescribing of FDCs is a major health concern. Aims & Objectives: To study the utilisation pattern of fixed dose drug combinations used in paediatric patients Materials and Methods: The study was conducted during September 2014 to October 2015 in paediatric patients visiting the OPD of a tertiary care teaching hospital of eastern India. After obtaining informed consent, prescriptions were collected from OPD every Thursday from 10 A.M. to 1P.M. and data analyzed and evaluated as per W. H. O. prescribing indicators. Results: 1380 prescriptions were collected and analysed. It was found that most FDCs were antibiotics, multivitamins formulations, analgesic-antipyretic combinations, cough and cold preparations. Conclusion: There is an increasing trend towards prescribing FDCs. Many of the FDCs are not included in the WHO Model list of essential medicines and the National List of Essential Medicines. Assessment of prescribing pattern in medical care facilities helps in identifying problems regarding rational use and to propose interventions. Keywords: Fixed dose combinations (FDC).
Highlights
Fixed dose combinations (FDC) enhance the efficacy of individual drugs, decrease the chances of drug resistance, improve patient compliance and decrease the pill burden on the patients
The present study entitled “Study of the utilisation pattern of fixed dose combination of drugs used in paediatric patients” was conducted over a period of 14 months at a tertiary hospital at Cuttack, Odisha and data was collected in observational, cross-sectional manner in the OPD
The most commonly prescribed FDCs were antimicrobial agents (25.33%) followed by multivitamins & nutritional supplements (22.78%). This finding is in accordance with the study conducted by Rayasam S.P. et al in which antibiotics were most commonly prescribed FDCs. 6 Similar study done by Lande S.P. et al from Rajkot, Gujarat showed that antibiotics are the most commonly prescribed FDCs(23%). 4 Laveesh MR et al in his study found 25.37% of prescriptions contain antimicrobial agents
Summary
Fixed dose combinations (FDC) enhance the efficacy of individual drugs, decrease the chances of drug resistance, improve patient compliance and decrease the pill burden on the patients. Aims & Objectives: To study the utilisation pattern of fixed dose drug combinations used in paediatric patients Materials and Methods: The study was conducted during September 2014 to October 2015 in paediatric patients visiting the OPD of a tertiary care teaching hospital of eastern India. Assessment of prescribing pattern in medical care facilities helps in identifying problems regarding rational use and to propose interventions. Assessment of the prescribing pattern of drugs in the pediatric out patient department(OPD) helps to identify problems regarding rational use of drugs and to propose interventions where needed. The knowledge about prescribing pattern of FDCs is important for better health outcomes.
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