TY - JOUR
T1 - Pattern of inappropriate antibiotic use among hospitalized patients in Pakistan
T2 - A longitudinal surveillance and implications
AU - Saleem, Zikria
AU - Saeed, Hamid
AU - Hassali, Mohamed Azmi
AU - Godman, Brian
AU - Asif, Usama
AU - Yousaf, Mahrukh
AU - Ahmed, Zakiuddin
AU - Riaz, Humayun
AU - Raza, Syed Atif
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 The Author(s).
PY - 2019/11/21
Y1 - 2019/11/21
N2 - Background: The inappropriate use of antibiotics in hospitals increases resistance, morbidity, and mortality. Little is currently known about appropriate antibiotic use among hospitals in Lahore, the capital city of Pakistan. Methods: Longitudinal surveillance was conducted over a period of 2 months among hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan. Antibiotic treatment was considered inappropriate on the basis of a wrong dosage regimen, wrong indication, or both based on the British National Formulary. Results: A total of 2022 antibiotics were given to 1185 patients. Out of the total prescribed, approximately two-thirds of the study population (70.3%) had at least one inappropriate antimicrobial. Overall, 27.2% of patients had respiratory tract infections, and out of these, 62.8% were considered as having inappropriate therapy. Cephalosporins were extensively prescribed among patients, and in many cases, this was inappropriate (67.2%). Penicillins were given to 283 patients, out of which 201 (71.0%) were prescribed for either the wrong indication or dosage or both. Significant variations were also observed regarding inappropriate prescribing for several antimicrobials including the carbapenems (70.9%), aminoglycosides (35.8%), fluoroquinolones (64.2%), macrolides (74.6%) and other antibacterials (73.1%). Conclusion: Educational interventions, institutional guidelines, and antimicrobial stewardship programs need to be developed to enhance future appropriate antimicrobial use in hospitals in Pakistan. Policies by healthcare and Government officials are also needed to minimize inappropriate antibiotic use.
AB - Background: The inappropriate use of antibiotics in hospitals increases resistance, morbidity, and mortality. Little is currently known about appropriate antibiotic use among hospitals in Lahore, the capital city of Pakistan. Methods: Longitudinal surveillance was conducted over a period of 2 months among hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan. Antibiotic treatment was considered inappropriate on the basis of a wrong dosage regimen, wrong indication, or both based on the British National Formulary. Results: A total of 2022 antibiotics were given to 1185 patients. Out of the total prescribed, approximately two-thirds of the study population (70.3%) had at least one inappropriate antimicrobial. Overall, 27.2% of patients had respiratory tract infections, and out of these, 62.8% were considered as having inappropriate therapy. Cephalosporins were extensively prescribed among patients, and in many cases, this was inappropriate (67.2%). Penicillins were given to 283 patients, out of which 201 (71.0%) were prescribed for either the wrong indication or dosage or both. Significant variations were also observed regarding inappropriate prescribing for several antimicrobials including the carbapenems (70.9%), aminoglycosides (35.8%), fluoroquinolones (64.2%), macrolides (74.6%) and other antibacterials (73.1%). Conclusion: Educational interventions, institutional guidelines, and antimicrobial stewardship programs need to be developed to enhance future appropriate antimicrobial use in hospitals in Pakistan. Policies by healthcare and Government officials are also needed to minimize inappropriate antibiotic use.
KW - Antibiotics, hospitals
KW - Appropriateness
KW - Pakistan
KW - Prescribing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85075579547&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s13756-019-0649-5
DO - 10.1186/s13756-019-0649-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 31768252
AN - SCOPUS:85075579547
SN - 2047-2994
VL - 8
JO - Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control
JF - Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control
IS - 1
M1 - 188
ER -
