Drug Utilization Study in Outpatient Department of Ophthalmology in Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Background The advancement in drug development and availability of newer drugs has improved overall health services including decrease in mortality and hospital stay. Along, it has brought negative impacts such as polypharmacy and associated adverse drug reactions and antimicrobial resistance. Drug utilization research is an essential approach to understand the drug use pattern, identify the early signs of such irrational drug use and to improve quality of drug use.
 Objective To study the drug utilization pattern in the Ophthalmology Outpatient department (OPD) of Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Hospital (DH-KUH).
 Method A descriptive, cross sectional study was conducted from March 2019 to August 2019 in patients attending OPD of Ophthalmology in Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Hospital. Prescriptions of 311 patients were analyzed using World Health Organization (WHO) International Network of Rational Use of Drug (INRUD) and additional other indices. The descriptive data was presented in mean and standard deviation.
 Result The average number of drugs per prescription was 2.10±1.35. Out of total 311 prescriptions, drugs prescribed in generic name were 152 (23.30%). Total antibiotics encountered were 247 (37.90%) and total drugs prescribed from National Essential Medicine List (NEML) were 371 (56.90%). Antibiotics 247 (37.90%) were the most commonly prescribed drugs followed by lubricants 146 (22.40%).
 Conclusion Practice of polypharmacy was very high. Most of the drugs were prescribed in brand names and antibiotics were the most frequently used drugs.

Bedside Sonography in the Assessment of Suspected Nephrolitiasis

“…The ability to detect hydronephrosis and assess the anatomical details of kidney stones without exposing patients to ionizing radiation is a significant advantage, particularly for recurrent cases (8). However, this study also acknowledges the limitations inherent in its design, including the reliance on self-reported patient history and the potential for selection bias (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13). Future research should aim to expand the sample size and incorporate longitudinal data to better understand the long-term outcomes associated with BUS-diagnosed nephrolithiasis (14-18).…”

Geostatistics and inverse distance weighing (IDW) multivariate interpolation methods for regional geochemical stream sediment survey for base metal prospecting around Wapsa, Solukhumbu District, Nepal

“…The LHS has Pre-Himalayan and a Neo-Himalayan prograde inverted metamorphism whereas the GHS has kyanite-grade prograde metamorphism overprinted by Neo-Himalayan retrograde metamorphism in which the LHS and GHS have undergone late-stage retrogration during exhumation (Paudel and Arita, 2000). A number of Lesser Himalayan granitic bodies of Ordovician age (Einfalt et al, 1993;Beckinsale in Mitchel, 1981) have been mapped in the crystallines of the Mahabharat Range (Shrestha, 1984;Upreti, 1999;Kaphle, 1992).…”

“…The rocks occurring within the Seti Formation are considered to be equivalent to Kuncha Formation (Shrestha, 1984;Upreti, 1999;DeCelles, 2001DeCelles, , 2020Pearson and DeCelles, 2005;Larson and Godin, 2009). This unit comprises the lowermost part of the LHS (Le Fort and Rai, 1999;Sakai, 2013).…”

“…Lesser Himalaya Sequence (LHS): The Lesser Himalaya Sequence is represented by Seti Formation equivalent to the Kuncha Formation (Shrestha, 1984, Upreti, 1999 and Benighat Slates in the study area (Stocklin, 1980) (Fig. 3).…”