DRUG USE EVALUATION OF CEFTRIAXONE: THE CASE OF AYDER REFERRAL HOSPITAL, MEKELLE, ETHIOPIA

Assessment of antimicrobial use can be performed by evaluating their use. Drug use evaluation is a performance improvement method that focuses on evaluation and improvement of drug use processes to achieve optimal patient outcomes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the rational use of ceftriaxone in Ayder referral Hospital, Mekelle-Ethiopia.  Retrospective cross sectional study was used to assess rational use of ceftriaxone. The study was conducted by reviewing medication records of 296 patients who received ceftriaxone during hospitalization at Ayder referral Hospital from September 11, 2009 to September 10, 2010. A systematic sampling method was used to select inpatient prescriptions with ceftriaxone and patient cards were located based on the medical record number on the prescription papers. Data was collected by using structured format and evaluated against WHO criteria for drug use evaluation as per standard treatment guideline of Ethiopia. Most patients were dosed as 2 g/day (79.4%). The duration of therapy was found to be high in the range 2-7 days (51.69%). Ceftriaxone was mainly used as preoperative prophylaxis (38.8%). Maintenance fluids were the most commonly co-administered medications with a frequency of 62.16%. The use of ceftriaxone was appropriate only in 106 cases (35.8%) for the justification of use. Most of inappropriate uses were seen in terms of duration. Consistency of prescriber to the national standard treatment guideline was found to be low.  To improve rational use and prevent the development of resistance; prescribers should adhere to the national standard treatment guideline. Intensification of short term trainings and antibiotic control systems are some of the possible solutions the hospital has to do.