Antibiotic Utilization and Prescribing Patterns in a Nigerian University Medical Center

The study of prescribing pattern seeks to monitor, evaluate and suggest a modification in prescriber’s prescribing habits so as to make medical care rational and cost effective. Information about antibiotic use pattern is necessary for a constructive approach to problems that arise from multiple antibiotics available. To identify prescribing pattern and antibiotic usage pattern in a Nigerian medical centre. A retrospective study of prescriptions generated within a period of January to December 2006 at the Lagos university medical centre was studied. Core quantitative indicators to measure key aspects of prescribing and the quality of health care developed and tested by WHO Action Program on Essential drugs and the international Network for rational use of drugs was employed. A total of 2909 prescriptions were studied. The average number of drug prescribed per encounter (ANDPE) was found to be 1.53; percentage drug actually dispensed (%DAD) was 84, while average number of antibiotic prescribed per encounter (ANAPE) was 1.28. The percentage encounter with antibiotics (PEA) was 42 while only 2.5% of antibiotic prescribed was based on microbial sensitivity test (MCST). The prescribing habit of the prescribers revealed that 87.5% often prescribed antibiotics. 62.5% base their diagnosis for antibiotic prescription on individual experience and disease prevalent in the community at the time, while 12.5% rely on signs and symptoms on the patient. The antibiotic utilization in the medical centre conforms to a previous study for developing countries on selected core drug use indicators studied retrospectively. The correct knowledge of antibiotic prescribing pattern is evident, but not followed in practice.Keywords: antibiotics, utilization, prescription patter, medical centreNigerian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, Vol. 8 No 1 pp. 236 - 241 (September 2010