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Profile of prescription medication in a pediatric population

J O Olubadewo1, A Ikponmwamba

  • 1College of Pharmacy, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans 70125.

Drug Intelligence & Clinical Pharmacy
|December 1, 1988
PubMed

Insights

This study analyzed pediatric prescription medications, finding anti-infective, central nervous system (CNS), and respiratory agents were most common. Amoxicillin, aminophylline, and acetaminophen were frequently prescribed, with age influencing prescription patterns.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pharmacology
  • Drug Utilization Studies
  • Health Outcomes Research

Background:

  • Understanding pediatric medication use is crucial for optimizing treatment and identifying trends.
  • Previous studies have highlighted variations in prescription patterns based on age and condition.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the prescription medication profile in an outpatient pediatric population.
  • To identify the most frequently prescribed pharmacotherapeutic categories and specific agents.
  • To analyze age-dependent medication prescribing patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of a hospital pharmacy computer file.
  • Inclusion of 510 pediatric patients (infants, children, adolescents).
  • Classification of 1402 prescribed medications by pharmacotherapeutic properties.

Main Results:

  • Anti-infective/chemotherapeutic, central nervous system (CNS), and respiratory agents accounted for 78.1% of prescriptions.
  • Amoxicillin, aminophylline, and acetaminophen were the most frequent agents in their respective categories.
  • Younger age groups showed higher rates of anti-infective and respiratory agent prescriptions, while adolescents more frequently received CNS agents.

Conclusions:

  • Prescription patterns in pediatric outpatients are dominated by a few key pharmacotherapeutic categories.
  • Age is a significant factor influencing the choice of medications in pediatric patients.
  • The findings highlight recent trends in pediatric drug usage, with commonly prescribed agents reflecting recent advancements.

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