Prescribing Patterns of Ambulatory Care Physicians in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The drug prescribing patterns of ambulatory care physicians in the Ministry of Health (MOH) hospitals were studied by examining 10,291 systematically sampled prescriptions obtained from 22 general hospitals covering the various health regions within Saudi Arabia. An audit of prescription information revealed that documentation was not generally complete. Information relating to patient age and diagnosis was missing in 18.6% and 9.8% of the prescriptions, respectively. The average number of drugs per prescription was 2.1 ± 0.95. The most frequently prescribed drug categories were systemic anti-infectives, analgesics/antipyretics, and vitamin preparations, respectively. Paracetamol, ampicillin, antacid preparations, and vitamin B complex were the specific drugs that ranked high in the frequency of prescription. The patterns of drug use observed in this study indicate a trend for the overprescribing of certain categories of drugs. The need to improve current drug policy and drug prescribing is discussed with a recommendation for the establishment of a Pharmacoepidemiology Unit to monitor drug use in Saudi Arabia. Arabia. 1993; 13(2): 172-177 Since its establishment in the mid 1950s, the health care system within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has undergone tremendous changes. The process of modernization and expansion of the system was very rapid by all standards [1]. Although the Ministry of Health (MOH) is the main authority responsible for the provision of health care in the country, other government sectors such as the Ministry of Defense, National Guard, and the Ministry of Interior have started providing health care for their employees and dependents. The government health care policy is to provide free health service, including drugs, to all its citizens and resident expatriates. The provision of drugs on a large scale, in addition to ensuring their subsequent proper use, is a massive undertaking for the MOH. Due to this, proper guidelines and adequate controls for drug distribution and appropriate usage need to be developed. SA Bawazie, Prescribing Patterns of Ambulatory Care Physicians in SaudiThe need to develop a national drug policy and promote rational drug use in Saudi Arabia was recognized early and effective measures to address these issues were undertaken by the passage of two important laws governing the profession of pharmacy and the registration of pharmaceuticals in 1978 [2]. Legislation alone, however, cannot ensure the proper use of drugs. Documentation of drug utilization information is an essential step in the process of instituting rational drug use. This issue is a global priority.The rapid expansion of the pharmaceutical industry in the developed countries in the late 1960s has been responsible for developing countries being flooded with products of both proven and questionable qualities. This, coupled with the industry's intensive advertising campaign in these countries which have weak health education programs, has adversely influenced the pattern of drug use among the population...

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