Pattern of Antibiotic Use among Hospitalized Patients at a Level One Multidisciplinary Care Hospital

Area of Science:

• Medical Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Antimicrobial resistance poses a significant global health threat.
• Incorrect antibiotic prescribing leads to resistance, increased costs, and adverse drug reactions.
• Evaluating antibiotic prescription patterns is crucial for identifying areas of improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence of antibiotic prescriptions among inpatients.
• To identify trends and patterns in antibiotic use over a five-year period.
• To inform strategies for optimizing antibiotic stewardship.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study conducted at Emergency Clinical County Hospital of Oradea, Romania (2017-2021).
• Data collected from patient medical records and pharmacy reports.
• Antibiotic consumption measured in DDD/100 BD, analyzed by drug, class, and AWaRe classification.

Main Results:

• Overall antibiotic prescription prevalence was 53.8%, with a notable increase in 2021.
• Total antibiotic consumption reached 13,677.42 DDD/100 BD, primarily for surgical and medical prophylaxis.
• Cephalosporins were the most prescribed class (43.73%), and Watch Group antibiotics were frequently used (59.69%).

Conclusions:

• High prevalence of antibiotic use, dominated by cephalosporins, was confirmed.
• Significant utilization of Watch Group antibiotics indicates potential for stewardship interventions.
• Targeted interventions are necessary to improve antibiotic prescribing practices and mitigate resistance.