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.
ABSTRACT
In the present study out of total 200 prescriptions of POAG (primary open angle glaucoma) studied 66% were found to be of monotherapy including timolol, brimonidine, pilocarpine, betaxolol, levobunolol, latanoprost and apraclonidine in 30%, 15 %, 6%, 8% , 4%, 1% and 2% of the prescriptions respectively and 34% were found to be of polypharmacy with timolol+pilocarpine, timolol+acetazolamide, timolol+ brimonidine and betaxolol+brimonidine in 13%, 4%, 8% and 9% of the prescriptions respectively. 10% drugs were prescribed by generic name. Written instruction to the patients regarding dose and dosing interval was mentioned in 100% prescriptions, but the proper method of instillation was mentioned only in 15% of the prescriptions. Results of the present study clearly indicated urgent need for prescribers to improve their communication skills, to give proper instructions to the patient regarding instillation of drug, as little bit of caution like instillation from the side of the eye in the supine position followed by rolling of the eyeball can decrease the wastage, decrease cost and improve compliance. However, in the present scenario cost of the traditional medications like betablockers, pilocarpine etc. is found to be much less than newer medications (prostaglandin analogues, brimonidine). Moreover, in presence of wide cost variation among various brands of the same drug our study could help the opthalmologist to use all possible measures of pharmacoeconomics while prescribing an antiglaucoma drug.