PRESCRIPTION PATTERN AND USE OF ANTIBIOTICS AMONG PEDIATRIC OUT PATIENTS IN RAJSHAHI CITY OF BANGLADESH

Excessive antimicrobial use leads to adverse drug effects, thus increased healthcare costs and promoting the emergence of antimicrobial resistance worldwide. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prescription pattern of antibiotics in pediatric outpatients at private hospitals in Rajshahi city of Bangladesh. WHO / INRUD prescribing indicators were used for the analysis of prescription pattern. A total of 329 pediatric prescriptions were analyzed of which 54% male and 46% female. Most of the patients (48%) belongs to the age group of 1 year – 6 years. Body weight was not mentioned in 17% of prescr-iptions, diagnosis was confirmed only in 11% patients and also 11% of children did not take or completed immunization. Among the children born 83% were of caesarian and 17% of normal delivery. The results also indicated that 964 drugs were used by the patients with an average 2.93 per prescription. However, none of the drugs was prescribed in generic name. Interestingly, only 37.24% drugs were prescribed from the national essential drug list. Children were mainly suffering from fever and common cold 50% and pneumonia 12%. In this study, the percentage of prescriptions with antibiotics were 83% of which major classes were cephalosporin 45.27%, β-lactam antibiotics 22.97%, macrolides 18.92% and quinolones 9.46%. Analgesics 16%, vitamins 8%, drugs for acid related disorders 2% and mineral supplements 2% were also prescribed. Cost of antibiotic per prescription was 299.38 taka. This study revealed that the prescription pattern was irrational resulting from an indiscriminate use of antimicrobials irrespective to the age of patients.