A STUDY OF DRUG UTILIZATION PATTERN OF THE GERIATRIC PATIENTS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF GERIATRIC MEDICINE IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN ASSAM, INDIA
Journal Title: Asian Journal of Pharamceutical and Clinical Research - Year 2017, Vol 10, Issue 2
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the drug utilization pattern and the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) using updated AGS Beers criteria 2012 among the elderly patients who attended the geriatric outpatient departments as well as admitted indoor patients ina tertiary care Hospital at Guwahati, Assam, India.Method: A hospital based prospective, observational and cross sectional study, involving patients aged 65 years and above was planned and conducted over a period of 6 months from January 2016 to June 2016. Patients were visited daily, interviewed and case records were collected. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Office Excel Sheets.Results: A total of 150 patients aged 65 years and above were analyzed. 97 patients (65%) were males and 53 (35%) were females. Majority of the patients (61 numbers, 41%) belonged to the age group of 65-70 years, and least were in the age group of 86-90 years (13 numbers, 9%). Prescription of five or more medications (polypharmacy) was observed in 117 (78%) patients. Majority of the patients presented with diseases of cardiovascular system (25.7%). Using WHO drug use indicators, the average number of drugs per prescription was found to be 5.6. The percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name was 86%. The percentage of encounters in which antibiotics were prescribed was 61%. Injection was prescribed was 65% cases and the percentage of drugs prescribed from the NLEM (National List of Essential Medicines of India) was 96%.  43 patients received PIMs from Beers list; majority were belonging to category 1. Spironolactone was most commonly prescribed PIM.Conclusion: Irrational prescribing practices and polypharmacy were detected in our study.Prescribers should be educated about rational use of drugs and Beers criteria for elderly. Keywords: Beers criteria, WHO prescribing indicators, Potentially inappropriate medications, Elderly patients, Polypharmacy
Authors and Affiliations
Lakhimi Borah, Diptimayee Devi, Prasanjit Kumar Debnath, Dibyajyoti Deka
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP605415
- DOI 10.22159/ajpcr.2017.v10i2.14762
- Views 127
- Downloads 0
ANTAGONISTIC ACTINOBACTERIAL DIVERSITY OF MARINE SEDIMENTS COLLECTED FROM COASTAL TAMIL NADU
Objective: The main objective of the current investigation is to identify the antagonistic potential of marine sediment actinobacterial population collected from coastal regions of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.Methods: A total...
GREEN SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF ZINC OXIDE NANOPARTICLE
Objectives: Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles have received considerable attention due to their antimicrobial, UV blocking, and high catalytic and photochemical activities. Hence, an investigation has been carried out to sy...
HELICHRYSUM PETIOLARE HILLIARD AND B. L. BURTT: A REVIEW OF ITS MEDICINAL USES, PHYTOCHEMISTRY, AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES
Helichrysum petiolare is a valuable and well-known medicinal herb in South Africa. A comprehensive review of phytochemical, medicinal uses, and biological activities of H. petiolare is presented in this study. Informatio...
GENOPROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF ETHANOLIC STEM EXTRACTS OF TINOSPORA CORDIFOLIA ON SODIUM ARSENITE-INDUCED DNA DAMAGE IN SWISS MICE LYMPHOCYTES BY COMET ASSAY
Objective: The study was aimed to evaluate the DNA protective effects of ethanolic extracts of Tinospora cordifolia stem on Swiss albino mice lymphocytes against the sodium arsenite-induced genotoxicity. Methods: In thi...
IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT AND CYTOTOXIC PROPERTIES OF FUCOIDAN FROM THREE INDIAN BROWN SEAWEEDS
Objective: In the present study, fucoidan extracted from three brown algae, Sargassum wightii, Turbinaria ornata, and Padina tetrastromatica, was purified, characterized, and evaluated for antioxidant and cytotoxic prope...