A study of the current prescribing and drug utilization pattern in Ophthalmology Department of a tertiary care teaching hospital

Background: The aim was to study the current prescribing and drug utilization pattern in Ophthalmology Department of a tertiary care teaching hospital. Drug utilization study is a part of pharmaco-epidemiological exercise quantifying the extent, nature and determinants of drug use in a population. Periodic audit of drug usage pattern forms an essential tool to ascertain the role of drug in a society, increase therapeutic efficacy and improve cost effectiveness of the therapy. It is an introspective and critical instrument providing positive impact on health care delivery to the patient. With this background, the present study was carried out to analyze the prescription pattern and drug utilization by measuring the WHO drug use indicators in ophthalmology department of a tertiary care teaching hospital.Methods: The prescriptions of 961 outpatients were included and analyzed using a predesigned case record form OPD prescription of each patient. Patient and prescription related parameters were analyzed.Results: Prescription analysis showed that the average number of drugs per prescription was 1.85. The drugs were prescribed in the form of eye drops (67.42%), followed by ointments (14.37%), capsules (15.45%), and tablets (2.71%). The dosage form and frequency of drug administration was indicated for all of the drugs prescribed, the duration of treatment for 60.97% of the drugs prescribed. Antimicrobial agents and tear substitute together constituted above 50% of all the drugs. Percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name and from NEDL was 31.62% and 37.22%, respectively. Patient’s knowledge of correct dosage was 70.44%.Conclusions: This study showed that there is scope for improvement in prescribing patterns in areas of writing generic names of drugs, essential drugs, writing legible and complete prescriptions