Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in Orthopedic Outpatient Cases in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

INTRODUCTION: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are major drugs in treatment of pain and inflammation of different orthopedic conditions. There are different classes of non-steroidal antiinflammatory Drugs based on their selectivity to cyclooxygenase enzyme which has significant differences in safety profile. This study aims to determine the prevalence of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs prescription in the orthopaedic outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among the patients in the orthopedic outpatient department of tertiary care hospital from December 2020 to March 2021. Ethical approval was taken from the Institutional Review Committee of the college (Ref: 0311202007). Convenient sampling was done. A structured proforma was used with consent. The data were analyzed with Social Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20. Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was done and frequency and percentage were calculated. RESULTS: Out of 140 orthopaedic out patient department prescriptions screened, 118 (84.28%) (78.2590.30 at 95% Confidence Interval) prescriptions included non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Aceclofenac 76 (64.4%) was the most prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. CONCLUSIONS: Aceclofenac was the most preferred agent for the treatment in the department of orthopedics. The most common proton pump inhibitor used alone with non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs was rabeprazole.