General practitioner prescribing patterns in Babol city, Islamic Republic of Iran.
To determine patterns of prescribing in Iranian primary care, we analysed 4000 randomly selected prescriptions from 52 general practitioners (GPs) in Babol city during 1999-2000. The mean number of drugs prescribed per encounter was 4.4 +/- 1.7, with 98% prescribed by generic name. The most commonly prescribed items were non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (62.9% of encounters) and antibiotics (61.9%), followed by central nervous system drugs, gastrointestinal tract drugs, corticosteroids, vitamins and cardiovascular system drugs respectively. Injections were prescribed in 58.0% of encounters. Female and male doctors had significantly different antibiotic prescribing patterns. Our study confirms the tendency of GPs to overprescribe.
Moghadamnia
A A
AA
Department of Pharmacology, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Mirbolooki
M R
MR
Aghili
M B
MB
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016568:Drugs, Generic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D020380:Needs Assessment; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D016568:Drugs, Generic; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents