A prospective cross-sectional study of prescription pattern of drugs used in the treatment of COVID-19 in a tertiary care hospital

ABSTRACT

Background: There are multiple protocols currently being followed worldwide for effective management of COVID-19 depending on the disease severity as a consequence, of which the prescribing patterns and therapeutic choices still remain unclear. Drug utilization studies provide insight into the current prescribing practices and help us in facilitating the rational use of drugs. Aim and Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate utilization pattern of medications used to treat COVID-19 in hospitalized patients with moderate disease as defined by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines. Materials and Methods: Hospital-based prospective, observational, and cross-sectional study was conducted in Designated COVID Hospital, Bidar Institute of Medical Sciences, Bidar for 4 months from March 1, 2021, to June 31, 2021. Data were collected from patients, every 10th inpatient was randomly selected. Rationality of prescriptions was evaluated using the WHO core drug prescribing indicators. A total of 234 hospitalized patients aged more than 18 years with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 of moderate severity according to ICMR guidelines were included in the study. Results: In our study, we found average number of drugs per encounter as 7.29. Percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name as 89.05%. Percentage of encounters with antibiotic as 96.58%. Percentage of encounters with an injection prescribed as 100%. Percentage of drugs prescribed from essential drug list as 83.25%. Conclusion: Drug utilization in COVID-19 is diverse and is in accordance with the existing guidelines. Medications used are highly corresponding to the disease severity. Polypharmacy detected, here, is not irrational as it suppressed the COVID-related mortality. Steroids, anticoagulants and oxygen being the key determinants.