PRESCRIPTION AUDIT AND PRESCRIBING PATTERNS OF ANTI-DIABETIC DRUGS OF THE OUT-PATIENT DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE IN A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL IN SOUTH DELHI, INDIA.

Abstract

Objective: Diabetes has gradually emerged as one of the most serious public health problems in our country. This underlines the need for timely disease detection and decisive therapeutic intervention. This prospective cross‑sectional observational study aims to analyze the utilization pattern of antidiabetic agents in a North Indian tertiary care teaching hospital From the perspective of current standard treatment guidelines.

Materials and Methods: Diabetic patients receiving antidiabetic medication, both as outpatients and inpatients in our hospital over a period of 12 months (May 2021–May 2022), were included in this study. The data Data  obtained was sorted and analyzed based on gender, type of therapy, and  hospital setting.

Results: A total of 310 patients were included in the present study. Metformin was the single most frequently prescribed antidiabetic agent (39.8%) followed by the Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors in 21.92% patients. Insulin was prescribed in 7.6% of the patients. The combination antidiabetic drug therapy (85.15%) was used much more frequently than the anti-diabetic  monotherapy. compared  to the anti-diabetic  mono-therapy  (14.85%). The use of DPP-4 Inhibitors  and sulfonylureas in combination was significant as compared to their use as In combination was significant compared to their use as monotherapy.  A total of 24.6% (n = 93) of all anti-diabeticfixed  drug combinations (FDCs), Comprised  DPP-4 inhibitors and metformin. The utilization of drugs from the National List of Essential Medicines was 56%, while only 5.16% of the anti-diabetic medications were prescribed by generic name.

Conclusion: The pattern of utilization largely conforms to the current standard treatment guidelines. Increased use of generic drugs is an area with scope for improvement.