Background: The aims of the study was to study adverse drug reactions (ADRs) among tuberculosis (TB) patients in a tertiary care hospital and to determine causality, severity and outcome of ADRs.Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital over a period of 6 months. Data was collected from records of TB patients in RNTCP centre of a tertiary care hospital regarding information of patients, drugs used, ADRs. It was evaluated using appropriate scales. Simple descriptive statistics was used for analysis.Results: Out of 37 patients who experienced ADRs, 22 (59.45%) were male and 15 (40.54%) were female. Majority of patients were in the age group of 36 to 45 years (37.83%). 36 (97.3%) patients were diagnosed with pulmonary TB and 1 (2.7%) patient had extra pulmonary TB. Among 37 ADRs gastrointestinal (GI) reactions were most common 11 (29.72%) followed by musculoskeletal 9 (24.32%). Causality assessment showed 19 (51.35%) as probable and 18 (48.65%) ADRs as possible, Severity assessment was 24 (64.8%) reactions were in mild, 10 (27.02%) in moderate and 3 (8.1%) in severe grades. Outcome assessment was 26 (70.3%) patients were recovering from reactions, 9 (24.32%) had recovered and 2 (5.4%) did not recover at the time of reporting.Conclusions: Proper monitoring of ADRs helps in reducing patient’s burden of repeated hospital visits and expense occurring due to admissions. This can be prevented by educating patients about early reporting of ADRs.

Background: Aim of the study was to evaluate the drug utilization pattern of antipsychotics in schizophrenia patients in a tertiary care hospital.Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted over a period of one year. Demographic data and drug utilization pattern of antipsychotics was collected from the surveyed prescriptions. Using WHO prescribing indicators data was analysed. Results were expressed in percentage.Results: Out of 300 prescriptions analysed, males were 58% and females 42%. Majority of schizophrenia patients were in age group of 15 to 45 years 70.33%. Olanzapine 75% was most common antipsychotic drug prescribed followed by risperidone 10.7%. Haloperidol 9.6%, fluphenazine 3.7% and chlorpromazine 1% were the other antipsychotics prescribed. Atypical antipsychotics 85.7% were commonly prescribed than conventional ones 4.3%. Concomitant drugs prescribed were anticholinergics, antihistaminics, sedative-hypnotics, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, antiulcer drugs and vitamin B complexes. Average number of drugs prescribed per prescription 3.26.Conclusions: Nowadays atypical antipsychotics are preferred over conventional ones because of their less side effects. Drug utilization study helps in rational usage of drugs important for patient care.

Background: In India cataract is the principal cause of blindness responsible for 62.6% as per national programme for control of blindness survey and as per our knowledge, very few systematically analysed data are available on the drug utilization study pattern of medical intervention for post cataract surgery in India. Hence, the present study was under taken to generate baseline drug use data and analyse various aspects of drug prescribing practices.Methods: This study was conducted in department of ophthalmology BIMS Belagavi. A total of 449 patients’ prescription was analysed prospectively. The data was analysed statistically, and results were expressed as numbers and percentage.Results: A total of 2306 drugs were prescribed for 449 patients who underwent cataract surgery. All patients received topical eye drops includes bromfenac 0.1% eye drop and other one is a fixed drug combination of dexamathasone 0.1% plus ofloxacin 0.3% eye drop. Use of antibiotic in association with sex found to be significant (p- value <0.004). Average number of drugs per prescription was 5.1 and drugs which prescribed in generic name were 60.99% and overall percentage of drugs prescribed by brand name was 38.94% which includes 100% eye drops were prescribed by brand names. Fixed drug combination includes 19.50% and drugs from essential drug list used were 80.49%.Conclusions: Health care providers have to take initiative for rational prescribing keeping in mind that it is not only a matter of national policy but also to wellbeing of individual patient.

Background: Adverse drug reaction (ADR) is any undesirable or unintended consequence of drug administration. Pharmacovigilance is the science and activities concerned with the monitoring of the safety of drugs. Underreporting of ADRs is a major challenge for pharmacovigilance programs. Aims and Objectives: (1) To assess knowledge, attitude, and practice of pharmacovigilance among health-care professionals working in tertiary care hospital. (2) To create awareness and strengthen the ongoing pharmacovigilance activities among health-care professionals. Materials and Methods: This is a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study conducted at BIMS Hospital Belagavi, Karnataka, India; A pre-designed and structured multiple choice questionnaire containing 23 questions was used to assess knowledge of pharmacovigilance, attitude toward ADR reporting, the practice of pharmacovigilance and their suggestions to improve ADR reporting (Q no.23). Questionnaire was distributed among 150 doctors working in the hospital. Results: 133 doctors responded to the questionnaire. 124 (93.23%) were aware of the purpose of reporting ADR. 55 (41.35%) had an opinion that ADR reporting should be voluntary. 46.62% of subjects believed that the identity of the reporter can be revealed. 86.47% of doctors had seen patients experiencing ADR, and 27.07% maintained a record of it and reported it to the ADR monitoring center. To improve the knowledge, attitude, and practice, the majority of participants suggested conducting training and continuing medical education for all health professionals. Conclusion: Doctors have good knowledge and attitude towards pharmacovigilance program, but there is underreporting of ADRs. Creating awareness among all health-care professionals, motivating them to report ADRs through training, and providing ADR reporting forms to hospital wards may improve the outcome.

Here, we report a case of a 30-year-old male who was prescribed eperisone hydrochloride for body pain and loose stools after which he developed severe maculopapular rash. Eperisone hydrochloride is an analgesic and antispastic drug used for spastic diseases such as spastic paralysis in cerebrovascular diseases, cervical spondylosis, and periarthritis. The drug is marketed in most of the Asian countries including India, but it is not licensed. Studies show the history of hypersensitivity in other countries, but this is the first reported case in India.