title: Use of cold medications for upper respiratory tract infections in children.
abstract: Prescribing practices in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) in children were studied, with particular emphasis on overuse of antibiotics, combination cold medications, and off-label use of medicines in children. Prescriptions with the diagnosis of URTI were studied over a period of 5 months in a general pediatric clinic. Out of 224 prescriptions scrutinized, a cold medication was prescribed in 88.4% of cases and 50.9% prescriptions contained a combination preparation. Antihistamines (50.9%), alpha-adrenoceptor agonist decongestants (50.0%) and opioid anti-tussives (24.5%) were the common ingredients of cold medications. Antihistamines (35.7%) were also used alone. Of the children 18.2% were receiving a drug contraindicated or not recommended in their age group. Antibiotics were prescribed in only 8.5% of cases, and for appropriate indications, reflecting a more restrained use of antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jhaj
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Bhargava
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Uppal
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lekha
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reeta
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kaur
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003139:Common Cold / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004338:Drug Combinations; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations