Background: Hypertension and diabetes mellitus are among the commonest non-communicable diseases. Co-existence of hypertension and diabetes increases morbidity and mortality. So co-existence of these diseases requires attention and rational management. Studying current prescribing pattern of drugs provide data for recommendations and decisions regarding rational practice. We undertook this study to study prescribing pattern.Methods: It was cross sectional, observational, descriptive study in outdoor patients suffering from hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus for duration of one year. Data of 601 patients were analyzed using descriptive statistics to determine prescribing pattern of drugs.Results: In this study, 71.55% patients were above 50 years age. Female patients were 56.57%. Average duration of hypertension was 4.08 years. Commonly prescribed antihypertensive drug groups were angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (85.36%) followed by β receptor blockers (33.44%) and calcium channel blockers (29.95%). Enalapril (85.36%) followed by amlodipine (29.95%) and atenolol (21.46%) were commonly prescribed antihypertensive drugs. Single antihypertensive drug was prescribed in 292 (48.59%) prescriptions. The most common monotherapy drug was enalapril (82.19%). Two antihypertensive drugs were prescribed in 231 (38.43%) prescriptions. The most common two drug combination was ACE inhibitors + β receptor blockers (40.69%). Four antihypertensive drugs were prescribed in only 1.50% prescriptions.Conclusions: From this study, the results suggest that the prescribing pattern of antihypertensive drugs reflects recommendations of current guidelines and practices. However, β receptor blockers were prescribed more commonly. There is room for improvement in choice of drugs.

Background: Diabetes mellitus and hypertension frequently co-exist in a patient. In such patients, the risk of complications, morbidity and mortality increases. One should be careful in management and choosing drugs. Authors undertook this study to understand the prescribing pattern of the physicians in diabetic hypertensive patients.Methods: This cross sectional, observational study was conducted in type 2 diabetic outdoor patients with co-existing hypertension, for duration of one year. We used descriptive statistics to analyze data of 615 patients to determine prescribing pattern of drugs.Results: 93.17% of patients were more than 40 years of age. Ratio of female to male patients was 1.30. Mean duration of diabetes was 5.81 years. Multi drug anti diabetic regimes (54.47%) were common than monotherapy (43.90%). Commonly prescribed anti diabetic drug groups were biguanides (89.27%), Sulfonylureas (43.90%) and insulin (15.28%). Metformin (89.27%), glibenclamide (29.11%) and insulin (15.28%) were commonly prescribed anti diabetic drugs. Metformin was the most common monotherapy drug and biguanide + sulfonylurea was the most common two drug combination. Commonly prescribed drugs for co-morbid conditions were enalapril (83.41%), aspirin (30.41%), amlodipine (29.76%) atorvastatin (27.32%) and famotidine (26.34%). Average number of drugs prescribed in a prescription was 4.65. Prescriptions with injections were 15.93% and with brand names were 13.15%.Conclusions: Prescribing pattern of drugs was as per current practices and recommendations of guidelines. Still, there is room for improvement in choice of drug, prescribing drug with generic name and choosing drug from essential medicine list.

Background: Infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and subsequent acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) continues to be a major public health problem. Treatment and therapeutic guidelines have evolved over a period of time. Drug utilization study helps to evaluate changing pattern of drug use, compliance with national guidelines and rational use of drugs.Methods: Authors conducted observational, non interventional, descriptive study in outdoor HIV positive patients for one year. We have analysed collected data using descriptive statistics to determine drug use indicators and utilization pattern of drugs.Results: Study showed that average number of drugs per encounter was 3.96. The most commonly prescribed antiretroviral therapy (ART) regime was combination of zidovudine, lamivudine with nevirapine (51.92%). Among antiretroviral drugs prescribed, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (49.45%) were the most common drug subclass and lamivudine (33.33%) was the most common antiretroviral drug. Second most common medication class was antibacterial agents (18.77%) and co-trimoxazole (10.11%) was the most common antibacterial agent. The third most commonly prescribed drug class was vitamins namely folic acid and multivitamins (2.63 %). Percentage of encounters with an antibiotic prescribed was 41.46%. Tuberculosis was the most common opportunistic infection. In 90.05% of encounters with ART prescriptions, adherence was more than 95%.Conclusions: Overall the results suggest that the prescribing pattern to be in accordance with national guidelines and reflect changing patterns of drug usage in HIV positive patients in World. Drug use indicators reflect rational approach to prescribing pattern.

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