Abstract

EVALUATION OF PRESCRIBING TRENDS OF ANTIBIOTICS IN UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS AMONG OPD IN HOSPITALS OF PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Awais Ahmed Uttra*, Awais Mushtaq, Aazib Ansari, Tehsin Abbas and Bilal Hussain

Abstract

The importance of Antibiotics cannot be denied in sustaining our wellbeing but the inappropriate use of these crucial drugs has led to ruin their efficacy. Antibiotic misuse either on the part of selfmedication or irrational prescription is multiplying the trouble of bacterial resistance. Upper respiratory tract infections are the most common infections being treated with antibiotics, therefore standard treatment guidelines must be followed while the antibiotics use become necessary. Prior studies have revealed that 60% to 75% of adults who presented with upper respiratory tract infection wanted antibiotics. More recent research indicates a decline in antibiotic prescribing. To investigate whether there has been a sufficient decrease in patients ‘desire and physicians’ approach towards antibiotic prescribing, a study was conducted in the summer of 2018 where it was sort to identify trends associated with antibiotics prescribing. A retrospective study on 100 patients with URTIs at different govt. and private hospitals was conducted. The antibiotics class being prescribed and the protocols for diagnosis were observed and treatment used was compared with guidelines provided by AAFP and Medline. Effectiveness and side effects of these medications were studied using the data collection form. Statistical analysis of the study showed that 25% of the patients were prescribed clarithromycin, 4% prescribed cephalexin, 1% erythromycin and 54% of the patients were prescribed amoxicillin while 16% prescribed some other antibiotic like ciprofloxacin, etc. 3% of the physicians prescribed two drug combination and 97% prescribed single antibiotic to the patients. Almost all the physicians prescribed Broad spectrum antibiotics for the treatment of URTI‘s.

Keywords: Prescribing trends, URTI, Antibiotics, Outpatients.