Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 30, 2025
Isolation and Identification of Waterborne Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Molecular Characterization of their Antibiotic Resistance Genes
Published on: March 3, 2023
Evaluation of antibiotic prescription patterns using WHO AWaRe classification
Urooj Sajjad1, Nauman Afzal1, Manahil Asif1
1Shalamar Medical and Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan.
Insights
Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global threat. In Pakistan, the Ear, Nose, and Throat department
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a significant global public health concern.
- Pakistan faces high rates of antibiotic resistance, particularly in neonatal care.
- The Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) department's antibiotic prescribing patterns are crucial for AMR stewardship.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze antibiotic prescription patterns in the ENT department of Shalamar Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan.
- To evaluate these patterns against the World Health Organization's (WHO) AWaRe 2021 antibiotic classification.
Main Methods:
- Prescription data from the ENT outpatient department (October-December 2021) were collected.
- Quantitative analysis compared antibiotic use with the WHO AWaRe classification.
- Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, with results discussed for improvement.
Main Results:
- Out of 7126 entries, 862 (12.1%) were assessed for antibiotic prescriptions.
- Approximately 54.9% of prescribed antibiotics were from the 'Access' category.
- The WHO target is at least 60% consumption of 'Access' group antibiotics.
Conclusions:
- The ENT department did not prescribe 'Reserve' or 'Not Recommended' antibiotics.
- Prescription rates for 'Watch' category antibiotics exceeded WHO AWaRe recommendations.
- Increased use of 'Access' antibiotics is needed to meet the WHO's 60% target.
Background:
Antimicrobial resistance is a rising problem worldwide and it poses a serious risk to public health. In Pakistan, about 70.0% of the Acinetobacter group of bacteria were resistant to all antibiotics and were responsible for high mortality among neonates within the first week of life.
Aim:
To evaluate the pattern of antibiotic prescription in the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Department of Shalamar Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, using the WHO AWaRe 2021 classification.
Methods:
We collected prescription data from the ENT outpatient department of Shalamar Hospital from October to December 2021. We compared the quantitative analysis of antibiotics with the WHO AWaRe classification. We analysed the data using SPSS version 26 and discussed the results with the ENT Department for possible improvements.
Results:
Some 862 (12.1%) of the total 7126 entries were assessed. Others were excluded because they had some missing data or had no antibiotic prescription. Of all the antibiotics prescribed, around 54.9% belonged to the access category. The WHO 13th General Programme of Work 2019-2023 recommends a country-level target of at least 60% of the total antibiotic consumption in the access group antibiotics.
Conclusion:
The outpatient department of the ENT did not prescribe any reserve or not recommended antibiotics. The use of watch antibiotics was higher than recommended by the WHO AWaRe classification. More efforts should be made to increase prescriptions from the AWaRe access group to achieve the 60% minimum target recommended by WHO for the country.
More Related Videos
11:17Multiplex Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by Isotope-dilution HPLC-MS/MS of Antibiotics in Critical Illnesses
Published on: August 30, 2018
09:59Application of the Intelligent High-Throughput Antimicrobial Sensitivity Testing/Phage Screening System and Lar Index of Antimicrobial Resistance
Published on: July 21, 2023
Related Concept Videos
01:25Drug Classes and Categories
01:19Pharmacovigilance
This process, termed pharmacovigilance, aims to detect, evaluate, and minimize harmful effects related to medication use. The data collection for pharmacovigilance depends on spontaneous reporting systems, where healthcare professionals or patients voluntarily report suspected ADRs.
In some cases, there...
01:02Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs
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...
00:57Antibiotic Selection
01:27Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism
Such synergistic combinations...
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...