STUDY OF DRUG UTILIZATION PATTERN IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL DURING THE INPATIENT ADMITTANCE IN THE EMERGENCY CARE DEPARTMENT

Objective: To study the drug utilization pattern in a tertiary care hospital during the inpatient admittance in the emergency care department. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital for a period of one month, where the medical records of 138 hospitalized patients were reviewed for analyzing the prescription pattern during an average stay of 6 hours at the hospital. Results: A total of 360 drugs were used in 138 prescriptions, with an average of 2.60 (± 1.41) drugs per prescription. There was a potency of drug-drug interactions in 24 cases. Male gender was more predominately admitted when compared to the female gender. The most common route of administration of drugs was found to be intravenous injection (42.2percent). Generic drug usage (27percent) was found to be low when compared to brand drug usage (73percent).  Of all the drugs prescribed 88.8percent of the drugs abided to the WHO essential drugs list. Conclusion: The prescription pattern of drugs showed polypharmacy as a concern with possibilities of drug-drug interactions in some of the cases which can be avoided.   Keywords: Prescription, Emergency care, Polypharmacy, Drug Interactions, Clinical Pharmacist