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Multiplex Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by Isotope-dilution HPLC-MS/MS of Antibiotics in Critical Illnesses
Published on: August 30, 2018
Antibiotic prescription prevalence in Iranian outpatients: A focus on defined daily doses and the AWaRe
Mohammad Mahdi Nasehi1, Mohammad Effatpanah2, Mohammad Gholamnezhad3
1Pediatric Neurology Research Center, Research Institute for Children's Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Tehran, Iran; Pediatric Neurology Department, Mofid Children Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Background:
The inappropriate use and overprescription of antibiotics pose a global health threat, particularly contributing to antimicrobial resistance. This study aims to evaluate antibiotic prescription prevalence in Iranian outpatients using the defined daily doses (DDD) and Access, Watch, and Reserve classification systems.
Methods:
This retrospective study analyzed electronic prescriptions for systemic antibiotics in Tehran, Iran, from March 2022 to March 2023. The data were obtained from the Iranian Health Insurance Organization and processed using the Cross-Industry Standard Process. Descriptive statistics and DDD per 1,000 inhabitants per day were calculated.
Results:
A total of 817,178 antibiotic prescriptions were analyzed, with a sex distribution of 57.43% female and a median age of 48 years. On average, each patient received 1.89 antibiotics per prescription. Over 63% of antibiotics were classified in the "Watch" category, with Azithromycin being the most commonly prescribed (27.56%). The total DDD per 1,000 inhabitants per day was 4.99, with general practitioners accounting for 58.02% of the prescriptions, primarily prescribing Azithromycin.
Conclusions:
The study emphasizes the high use of Watch group antibiotics, indicating a need for improved prescribing practices. Education on antibiotic stewardship and stricter guidelines are necessary to combat antimicrobial resistance. Continuous monitoring is crucial to optimize antibiotic use in outpatient settings in Iran.
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