Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 30, 2026

A Clinical Trial Assessing the Safety, Efficacy, and Delivery of Olive-Oil-Based Three-Chamber Bags for Parenteral Nutrition
04:53

A Clinical Trial Assessing the Safety, Efficacy, and Delivery of Olive-Oil-Based Three-Chamber Bags for Parenteral Nutrition

Published on: September 20, 2019

10.1K

Drug utilization pattern in an Omani pediatric population

K A Al Balushi1, F Al-Sawafi1, F Al-Ghafri1

  • 1Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khod, Oman.

Journal of Basic and Clinical Pharmacy
|May 9, 2014
PubMed

Insights

This study analyzed pediatric drug prescriptions at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, finding an average of 2.3 drugs per prescription. Paracetamol and respiratory system drugs were most common, highlighting areas for optimizing pediatric medication use.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pharmacology
  • Drug Utilization Studies
  • Oman Healthcare

Background:

  • Medication errors are more frequent in children than adults.
  • Limited local data exists on pediatric drug prescription trends.
  • Understanding drug use in pediatric populations is crucial for patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate drug utilization patterns in pediatric patients.
  • To establish baseline data for pediatric prescribing at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), Oman.
  • To inform strategies for rational drug use and cost control in pediatrics.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cross-sectional study design.
  • Data collected from outpatient pediatric clinics and inpatient pediatric wards at SQUH.
  • Analysis of drug prescription trends in pediatric patients.

Main Results:

  • Average of 2.3 ± 1.5 drugs per prescription, consistent across age and gender.
  • Antibiotics were prescribed to approximately 16% of pediatric patients.
  • Paracetamol was the most frequently prescribed drug (13%); respiratory system drugs (22%) were the most common class, with salbutamol being the most prescribed within this class.

Conclusions:

  • Provides essential data on pediatric drug prescribing at SQUH.
  • Identifies key drug classes and specific medications used in pediatric care.
  • Aims to support rational medication use and cost-effective strategies in pediatric settings.
Abstract

Keywords:
Drugspediatricsprescribing

More Related Videos

Cloud-Based Phrase Mining and Analysis of User-Defined Phrase-Category Association in Biomedical Publications09:20

Cloud-Based Phrase Mining and Analysis of User-Defined Phrase-Category Association in Biomedical Publications

Published on: February 23, 2019

10.8K
Optimized Griess Reaction for UV-Vis and Naked-eye Determination of Anti-malarial Primaquine08:31

Optimized Griess Reaction for UV-Vis and Naked-eye Determination of Anti-malarial Primaquine

Published on: October 11, 2019

9.0K

Related Concept Videos

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
1.0K
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses...
410
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution01:17

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution

Drug distribution in the pediatric population exhibits unique challenges and considerations due to the physiological differences between children, particularly neonates and infants, and adults. A crucial aspect of pediatric pharmacology is understanding how these differences impact the pharmacokinetics of various drugs, necessitating age-specific dosing strategies to ensure efficacy and safety.Neonates and infants have a higher total body water content, ~75%–90% of their body weight,...
554
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption01:23

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...
967
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
408
Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs01:02

Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs

Prescription drugs require a prescription from a medical practitioner and can only be obtained from a pharmacy. They have many applications, including treating pain, anxiety, and hypertension.
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...
1.5K