Study of prescription of injectable drugs and intravenous fluids to inpatients in a teaching hospital in Western Nepal

Unnecessary, excessive and poor injection practices in the South East Asia region (including Nepal) have been observed previously. The authors aim to study prescription of injectable drugs to inpatients in a teaching hospital in Western Nepal. Prescription of injectable drugs (IDs) and intravenous fluids (IVFs) to inpatients discharged from the wards of the Manipal Teaching Hospital during 1st January to 30th June 2006 was studied. The mean number of drugs, IDs and IVFs administered, median cost of drugs and of IDs/IVFs per prescription calculated. Comparison of ID/IVF use in the four major hospital departments (Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics and Surgery) was done. The administration of IDs/IVFs and injectable antimicrobials were measured in Defined Daily Dose (DDD)/100 bed-days and of Intravenous fluid in Liters (L)/100 bed-days. Of the 1131 patients discharged, 938 (82.94%) patients received one or more IDs/IVFs. The mean number of drugs, IDs and IVFs prescribed were 8.75, 4.72 and 1.42. Median cost of drugs and IDs/IVFs per prescription were 8.26US$ and 5.12US$ respectively. IDs/IVFs accounted for 81.37% of total drug cost. The most commonly used ID, injectable antimicrobial and IVF were Diclofenac (19.3 DDD/100 bed-days), Metronidazole (7.68 DDD/100 bed-days) and Dextrose normal saline (8.56 L/100 bed-days), respectively. The total IVF consumption was 24.25 L/100 bed-days. Significant differences between departments were observed (p<0.05). In conclusion, the use of IDs/IVFs was higher compared to other studies. Interventions to improve IDs/IVFs prescribing practices may be required.