European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

PATTERN OF DRUG PRESCRIPTION IN ADULT PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED WITH BRONCHIAL ASTHMA IN DEVELOPING COUNTRY: EXPLORING THE LINK BETWEEN EVIDENCE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE

Bista B.*, Bhatta N., Koirala P., Ghimire R. H., and Mishra D. R.

ABSTRACT

Prescription patterns for bronchial asthma in developing countries are often dynamic and determined more by the socio demographic and financial characteristics of patients than by evidence based guidelines. Within this background we conducted the clinical audit of Adult Patients Hospitalized with Bronchial Asthma by studying the drug prescription pattern and explored the link between the evidence laid down by standard Asthma management guidelines and clinical practice in the specific context. Retrospective study conducted at Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine at B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Dharan, over 3 years from January 2012 to January 2015. Medical records of all the hospitalized adult cases of Bronchial Asthma were reviewed. All the drugs prescribed during the hospital stay and discharges were carefully recorded along with the formulation and duration. The quantitative variables were presented using descriptive statistics. 114 patients with Bronchial Asthma were admitted with 67(58.8%) females and 47(41.2%) males. Beta 2 agonists and corticosteroids were the most frequently prescribed medications in various formulation in 114(100%) and 105(92.1%) patients. Methylxanthines were prescribed in 52(45.6%) case. Antihistamines, Leukotriene inhibitors were prescribed in 60(52%), 27(23.6%) whereas 84(73.6%) patients received antibiotics in either intravenous or oral form. Our study provided evidence for acceptable degree of real-life compliance and linkage with standard international asthma guidelines for treatment of Bronchial Asthma in the specific context. This information might contribute towards improved prescribing decisions in bronchial asthma and care of patients with bronchial asthma.

Keywords: Bronchial Asthma, Clinical audit, Evidence-based Medicine.