A PROSPECTIVE STUDY TO OBSERVE DRUG UTILIZATION PATTERN USING WHO DRUG PRESCRIBING INDICATORS IN PATIENTS OF ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE AT TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL

The prescription writing process by prescriber is a very important step, and prescription error can lead to irrational use of medicine. The objective of the research is to describe and evaluate drug utilization patterns using WHO core indicators at the tertiary level. This is prospective observational study which was carried out in indoor IHD patients (IPD). WHO drug prescribing indicators were used to assess the drug utilization pattern. A total of 400 patients with IHD were recruited for the study. The cardiovascular class accounted for 68.02% of all drugs prescribed. 29.82% of FDCs in total drugs were prescribed in this study. The percentage of prescriptions with injections and antibiotics prescribed was 84.25% and 4% respectively. A total of 3743 drugs were prescribed, with an average of 9.36 ± 0.88 drugs per prescription. All drugs (100%) were prescribed with a generic name. 98% drugs were from essential drug list (Rajasthan-2019). The percentage of prescriptions with prescriptions for injections and the average number of drugs per prescription were much higher than the WHO standard, which has to be improved to make drug use rational. Most of the prescribed drugs were from EDL developed by Rajasthan state government; all prescriptions were prescribed with generic names; and the antibiotic is prescribed to only a few patients which is appreciable. Nevertheless, there is a need for strict adherence to WHO prescribing indicators, and there should be frequent training sessions to improve the rationality of treatment.