Prescription Pattern of Injection at Out Patient Pharmacy Department of Adama Hospital Medical College, Adama,

Abstract

Introduction: Injection is an infusion method of putting drugs or fluids in to the body with a hollow needle and a syringe. The use of injection for treatment accompanied with variety of disadvantages including sepsis at administration, risk of tissue toxicity, costly difficulties in correcting the error.  Injections are very expensive compared to other dosage forms and require trained personnel for administration. Moreover, unhygienic use of injections can increase the risk of transmission of potentially serious pathogens, such as hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, and blood-borne diseases. It is estimated by the WHO that about 16 billion injections are undertaken in developing countries annually and are often irrationally used.

Objective: The present study was aimed to assess the prescription pattern of injections in Adama Hospital Medical College.

Method: Hospital based Prospective cross sectional study was done to assess prescription pattern of injections in outpatient pharmacy of AHMC. All Prescription cards from March 24, 2015 to May 24, 2015 were taken and reviewed using pre-tested data collection format. Finally data was edited, coded, tallied and cleaned. Descriptive statistics was computed.

Result: On review of 500 prescription papers, 600 injections were prescribed. The percentage of prescriptions containing name of the patient, sex, age, address, date and card number were 490 (98%), 395 (79%), 405 (81%), 250 (50%), 300 (60%) and 480 (96%) respectively. The most commonly prescribed therapeutic class was inject able antibiotics 154 (25%), anti pains 120 (20%) and diuretics 66 (11%). Injections prescribed with over, under and optimum dose were 15 (2.5%), 9 (1.5%), 576(96%), respectively. About 18 (3%), 6 (1%) and 2 (0.3%) of antibiotics were prescribed by incorrect frequency, short and extended duration of administration, respectively. Only on 190 (38%), 65 (13%) and 480 (96%) of prescription papers were names, qualification and signature of the prescribers specified respectively.

Conclusion: There was rational use of injections in the hospital though there are some problems that have to be considered.

Key Terms: Injection medicine, prescribing pattern, prescribers, prescription, Adama.