ORIGINAL ARTICLE / RESEARCH Prescribing Pattern in Diabetic Outpatients in a Tertiary

Background: Diabetes is a chronic disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Diabetics are at a higher risk of polypharmacy and more vulnerable to irrational prescription. Data regarding drug use pattern in diabetes is lacking in South Asian countries. Objectives: The present study was conducted with the objectives of collecting the demographic details of diabetes patients, studying the pattern of drug prescribing among diabetic outpatients, calculating the mean prescription cost for the diabetes patients and analysing the prescriptions according to prescribing indicators. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at the Out-patient Pharmacy (OPP), Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal, from 22nd August to 7th December 2006. All the diabetes patients who visited the OPP during the study period were enrolled after getting verbal consent and interviewed by the researchers, based on the study objectives. The details were entered in th