Background: Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) encompass a tremendous breadth of clinical disease. Our present study aims to accessing the drug utilization pattern of antibiotic usage in medicine and respiratory unit of tertiary care hospital which helps in accessing rationality and monitoring the pattern of drug prescriptions, drug efficacy and other parameters which access the patient safety. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted for a period of six months from October 2019 to April 2020 to analyse the drug utilization pattern of the patient who was diagnosed with respiratory tract infections. Results: 111 patients were included as per inclusion and exclusion criteria, out of which 75 (67.6%) were male and 36 (32.4%) were female. The mean (±SD) age of the population has been found to be 49 (12.05) years. The majority of patients had hypertension 13 (11.71%) as co-morbidity followed by acute exacerbation12 (10.81%). Among 111 cases, 21 (18.9%) cases were diagnosed with upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) in which 09 (42.85%) patients had Otitis media, 01 (4.76%) had Supraglottic, 10 (47.61%) had common cold and 01 (4.76%) had Adeno-tonsillitis. In study population 90 (81.1%) cases were di-agnosed with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in which 49 (54.44%) were COPD, 12 (13.33%) were B. Asthma, 16 (17.77%) were Pneumonia. The most commonly prescribed antibiotic was ceftriaxone + sulbactam 73 (65.8%) and azithromycin 72 (64.9%). Conclusion: In a nutshell, it is evident those overuses of antibiotics that were prescribed in the patients of URTI and is a matter of concern. The drug utilization studies are an important tool to sensitize and increases awareness among physicians, which ultimately improves rational prescribing and patient care.

Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) and Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) cause high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Lower respiratory tract infections are generally more serious than upper infections. Antibiotics are often inappropriately prescribed for patients with RTI. Inappropriate utilization of antibiotics specifically the broad spectrum in respiratory tract infection results in resistance to antibiotics. The common use of antibiotics is the prime reason for the spread of drug resistant bacterial strains which not only results in cost treatment but high rate of morbidity and mortality due to undesired adverse effect of the drug. Literature survey was performed using PubMed, Science Direct, and Web of Science search engines. One hundred forty-five papers were retrieved, and more than 100 were included in this review. This article describes the overview and diagnosis of respiratory tract infections and plethora of antibiotics has been used in the management of RTIs.