ABSTRACT
The present study was undertaken to assess the patterns of prescription and drug utilization by measuring WHO delineated drug use indicators. This study was conducted in the Postgraduate Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics in collaboration with the Postgraduate Department of Ophthalmology Govt. Medical College Hospital, Jammu. Total number of prescriptions analyzed were 440 , in which total of 822 drugs were prescribed. Analysis of the prescriptions showed that average number of drugs per prescription was 1.87. The maximum number of drugs prescribed were in the form of eye drops (66.18%), followed by ointments (16%), capsules (9.5%), tablet (6.57%), syrup (0.73%), injection (0.73%) and lotion (0.24%). The dosage form was indicated for 94%, frequency of drug administration for 98% drugs and duration of treatment for only 75% of the drugs prescribed. The number of antibiotics prescribed was 266 (32.26%), out of these 160 (60.15%) antibiotics prescribed in the form of drops, 100 (37.59%) as ointment and 6 (2.26%) orally. Number of encounters with anti-inflammatory and antiallergic drugs was 92 (11.2%), mydriatics and cycloplegics 64(7.9%), miotics 20 (2.4%), multivitamins 58 (7.05%) andothers used were lubricant and miscellaneous eye drops 322 (40%). Common prescription writing errors were minimum and there was no evidence of polypharmacy. However, duration of treatment and prescribing by generic name was very low.