Outpatient prescription of oral antibiotics in a training hospital in Turkey: Trends in the last decade

• Published in: The Journal of infection Vol. 52; no. 1; pp. 9 - 14
• Main Authors: Avci, Ismail Yasar, Kilic, Selim, Acikel, Cengiz Han, Ucar, Muharrem, Hasde, Metin, Eyigun, Can Polat, Pahsa, Alaadin, Cetiner, Sadettin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Antibacterial agents; Antibiotic; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Cross-Sectional Studies; Drug Prescriptions - standards; Drug Utilization; General aspects; Helicobacter Infections - drug therapy; Humans; Medical sciences; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Outpatient; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital - trends; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Practice Patterns, Physicians' - trends; Prescription rates; Respiratory Tract Infections - drug therapy; Turkey; Urinary Tract Infections - drug therapy; Asia; Turkey; Prescription rates; Antibiotic; Outpatient; Infection; Ambulatory; Hospital; Antibacterial agent; Medical prescription; Oral administration
• ISSN: 0163-4453; 1532-2742
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2005.07.007

The aim was to evaluate the changing trends in outpatient prescription of oral antibiotic forms at a Training Hospital in the last decade. All the outpatient prescriptions during April and May 2004 were evaluated. The diagnosis, the department of the prescriber, the count and generic name of each prescribed antibiotic were all noted. Of the 33 491 outpatient prescripitions, 14.9% included antibiotic ( n=5004). The pediatric clinics (26.4%), Ear, Nose and Throat department (13.7%), and the department of Gyneacology and Obstetrics (10.8%) were the leading departments in antibiotic prescriptions. Upper respiratory tract infections (45.4%), urinary tract infection (11.4%) and lower respiratory tract infections (4.2%) shared the first lines of diagnosis stated. Of the antibiotic prescriptions, 96.3% included oral forms. Co-amoxiclav (26.4%), quinolones (11.7%) and cephalosporins (16.5%) were the most frequently prescribed antibiotics. Percent of antibiotic prescriptions based on microbial sensitivity test results was 7.1%. Compared with the results of the study carried out 11 years ago; though co-amoxiclav is still the most frequently prescribed antibiotic, many other changes have been observed in antibiotic prescription attitudes.