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Drug prescribing in children in a North Indian referral hospital

R Jhaj1, V K Bhargava, R Uppal

  • 1Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, (PGIMER), Chandigarh-160012, India.

Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety
|November 26, 2008
PubMed

Insights

This study analyzed drug use patterns in pediatric patients in Northern India. While most prescribing was rational, vitamin supplement overuse and low generic drug use were noted.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pharmacology
  • Drug Utilization Studies
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • Understanding drug prescribing patterns is crucial for ensuring rational use of medications in pediatric populations.
  • Ambulatory care settings present unique challenges and opportunities for optimizing drug prescribing.
  • Previous studies have highlighted variations in drug use across different geographical regions and healthcare systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the drug prescribing patterns in ambulatory pediatric patients at a tertiary care hospital in Northern India.
  • To evaluate the rationality of drug use based on established World Health Organization (WHO)/International Network for Rational Utilization of Drugs (INRUD) indicators.
  • To identify areas for improvement in pediatric pharmacotherapy within the study setting.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective study design was employed to collect data on drug prescribing.
  • Drug use indicators developed by WHO/INRUD were utilized to assess prescribing patterns.
  • Data were collected from ambulatory pediatric patients attending a tertiary care hospital in Northern India.

Main Results:

  • Seizure disorder was the most frequent diagnosis (26.9%), with antiepileptics being the most prescribed drugs (24.6%).
  • Vitamin and mineral supplements were frequently prescribed (20.1%), disproportionate to diagnosed anemia (2.3%) or malnutrition (2.6%).
  • Prescribing indicators such as average drugs per encounter (1.32) and antibiotic use (6.1%) were within acceptable ranges, but generic prescribing was low (11.2%).

Conclusions:

  • Prescribing trends in the study population were largely rational, with the exception of high supplement use and low generic prescribing rates.
  • The study highlights a need to address the overprescription of vitamin and mineral supplements in pediatric ambulatory care.
  • Improving the rate of generic drug prescribing is recommended to enhance the cost-effectiveness and accessibility of pediatric pharmacotherapy.

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