title: Patient automedication and professional prescription pattern in an urgency service in Brazil.
abstract: Several studies have indicated an increased resistance of microorganisms resulting from the widespread use of antimicrobial agents. However, few data are available in the dental literature. The aim of this study was to conduct a survey on the patterns of patient usage of antimicrobial prescriptions agents by dentists. A retrospective cross-sectional study was based on the medical records of 223 patients who sought treatment at the Urgency Service, from a Dental School in the South of Brazil, from March 2009 to March 2011. A specific data sheet was used, with questions regarding: patient age and gender; the main complaint; medications used prior to the service; final diagnosis; proposed dental treatment (including prescription medications); and characteristics of the final prescription. Descriptive and inferential statistics were obtained. There was a high frequency of antibiotic use prior to attendance by young patients (Fisher's exact test, p < 0.05). Toothache of endodontic origin was the most frequent patient complaint (72.6%). Endodontic procedures were the measures most frequently adopted to treat the pain (31.2%). The frequency of patient use of antimicrobials prior to the appointment was 14.3%. According to patient records, 83.9% had no systemic drug prescription after receiving urgency treatment. There were few antimicrobial prescriptions after the urgency treatment. The most frequently prescribed agents were amoxicillin, chlorhexidine, and metronidazole. Local measures were more frequently used than systemic approaches to treat urgencies of dental origin. Antimicrobial agents were not frequently prescribed as adjunctives to local administered at the urgency service.
authors.affiliation: Dental School, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Karen Barea
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: De-Paula
authors.affiliation: Dental School, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leonardo Spohr da
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.affiliation: Dental School, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriela Xavier
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Fagundes
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Beatriz Cardoso
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Dental School, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Montagner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists'; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014098:Toothache / Q000188:drug therapy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents