Prescribing Trend of Antibiotics Among the Patients Admitted in Intensive Medical Care Unit: A Prospective Observational Study

TL;DR

This study examines how antibiotics are prescribed in intensive medical care units, finding that certain antibiotics are commonly used and costly, increasing healthcare expenses.

Contribution

The study provides insights into antibiotic prescribing trends and economic impact in a critical care setting.

Findings

Amoxicillin + Potassium clavulanate was the most commonly prescribed antibiotic in the IMCU.

Tigecycline had the highest daily defined dose per 100 bed days.

Injection Sulbactam + Cefoperazone was the costliest antibiotic therapy.

Abstract

Background: Intensive medical care units (IMCUs) usually admit patients who are in critical medical need and require the utmost attention of healthcare professionals, along with the best treatment options available. These patients are prone to infections and require various antibiotics for the treatment. Varying costs of antibiotics, variable dosage forms, and antibiotic resistance cause an economic burden on patients

Methodology: This study was designed and conducted prospectively to evaluate the prescribing pattern of antibiotics at the IMCU in a tertiary care hospital. A total of 102 patients were included in the study based on the exclusion and inclusion criteria, and the collected data was tabulated in an Excel sheet and analyzed using Prism GraphPad software. Data were presented as numbers and percentages.

Results: Most of the patients were in the age group of 41-50 years. The number of male patients was slightly more than that of female patients. The majority of the patients admitted to the IMCU had acute pulmonary edema and cerebrovascular accidents. Most antibiotics were prescribed empirically and administered parenterally, of which Amoxicillin + Potassium clavulanate was the most commonly used antibiotic. Tigecycline had the highest daily defined dose per 100 bed days value, and injection Sulbactam + Cefoperazone was the costliest of all antibiotic therapy.

Conclusion: Antibiotic therapy used in the IMCU consisting of Sulbactam + Cefoperazone was found to be costlier, and Amoxicillin + Potassium clavulanate were the commonly prescribed antibiotics among the other prescribed antibiotics. The average cost of antibiotics was found to be higher, which increased the economic healthcare burden for patients and their families.