Study of prescription pattern of drugs used in the treatment of osteoarthritis in a tertiary care teaching hospital: an observational study

Abstract

Background: Osteoarthritis(OA) is a major cause of chronic pain and lower extremity disability among the elderly due to its predilection for lower extremity joints such as the knee and hip. Although Paracetomol is the initial drug of choice, NSAIDS are also frequently used in the symptomatic relief of osteoarthritis. But still, there is a need for safe and effective alternative treatments which would provide both symptomatic improvement and disease modifying effects in OA. The primary objective was to study the prescribing pattern of drugs used in the treatment of osteoarthritis.Methods: A cross-sectional, prospective, observational study was conducted on newly diagnosed as well as old treated patients with osteoarthritis from orthopaedic outpatient department in a tertiary care teaching hospital. A total of one hundred and eighty-eight patients were enrolled after screened for the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data was recorded in a specially designed proforma which include information regarding the demographic profile of the patients and about the pattern of drugs prescribed.Results: Out of one hundred eighty-eight patients who were affected with Osteoarthritis, females (57.9%) were more commonly affected than males (42%). OA knee (77%) either unilateral or bilateral was most commonly affected, followed by hip joint, spine and other joints. NSAIDS were more frequently prescribed in 76.6% patients than paracetamol which was prescribed in only 34 % of patients and that only in combination with NSAIDS and opioids. Various other drugs were also used as adjunct therapies that included gastroprotective agents in 49% of patients, Calcium in 54% of patients, Vitamin D3 supplements in 51% of patients and symptomatic slow acting drugs for OA (SYSADOA) which included diacerin and glucosamine sulfate as combination in 11% of patients.Conclusions: Our study showed Osteoarthritis knee being most common among female patients. Paracetamol and SYSADOA being under prescribed and NSAIDS are the most frequently used drugs in OA. National drug policy is needed to rationalize the drug use and bring awareness among the prescribing doctors.

Drug utilisation evaluation in patients with osteoarthritis in tertiary care hospital

“…This is comparable to a study by Oliveria et al 14 In our study, numerous kinds of medicines were prescribed, with NSAIDs (75%) being the most typically prescribed, both in monotherapy and combined therapy followed by tramadol (60%) calcium supplements (54%), vitamin D3 (52%), paracetamol (34%), glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate in combination (21%), methyl prednisolone (34%) and also in the pattern of prescribing in osteoarthritis patients, NSAID'S were most commonly prescribed (75%) and aceclofenac was the most frequently prescribed drug (52%). This is comparable to a study by Gupta et al 15 In the study conducted, it was found that combination therapy of NSAIDS, calcium and vitamin D3, glucosamine, chondroitin sulphate was the most regularly prescribed therapy in osteoarthritis accounting for 50%. In the study, it was found that 55% of patients were adherent to OA medications, 64% were performing Physical activities and 62% of patients were adherent to Losing weight.…”

To Study Prescription Pattern in the Management of Osteoarthritis in Tertiary Care Hospital

“…In this study, the concomitant therapy (Table 7) used in OA patients shows calcium lactate in 549 number of prescriptions, i.e., 72.42% followed by multivitamin B-complex in 96 number of prescriptions, i.e., 12.66% followed by cholecalciferol and muscle relaxants. From the above explanation, calcium lactate was most commonly used concomitant therapy in our study for improvement of health condition of OA patients Lahamate and Razvi most common concomitant therapy prescribed for OA patients, which have similar finding in accordance with our study [17][18][19].…”

Drug utility pattern of antiulcer agents used in osteoarthritis patients at tertiary care hospital

“…8 The Study conducted pantoprazole was most common drug to be prescribed along with NSAIDs used for osteoarthritis patients followed by next common antiulcer agent was rabeprazole which was in contrast with our study. [9][10][11] The study conducted by Famotidine was the most common prescribed antiulcer agents with NSAIDs, in contrast with our study. 12 Our present study also showed the group of antiulcer agents that where prescribed most commonly along with the NSAIDs where H2 receptor antagonists i.e.…”