title: Antimicrobial prescribing pattern in an Indian tertiary hospital.
abstract: 550 prescriptions of the indoor patients receiving antimicrobial drugs in the Departments of Internal Medicine, Surgery, Urology and Paediatrics were analysed for drug utilization studies. The prescribing frequency of one antimicrobial per prescription was maximum in Surgery and Urology (52.52%) and Internal Medicine (50.51%) whereas prescribing frequency of two antimicrobials was maximum in Paediatrics (59.9%). In all the departments, quinolones, aminoglycosides, cephalosporins and penicillins were frequently prescribed among which amikacin, ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime and cloxacillin were most preferred drugs, with a general tendency of prescribing newer antimicrobials. In majority of cases selection of antimicrobials was not based on microbiological confirmation. It is suggested that the use of newer and expensive antimicrobials should be kept reserved only for serious and life threatening situations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reeta
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Badyal
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Bhargava
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004363:Drug Utilization; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008485:Medical Audit
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents