The pattern of antibiotic usage in surgical in-patients of a teaching hospital, northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract
Background: Prudent use of antibiotics will curtail health care costs and potential adverse effects to the individual taking them and also diminishes the wide ecologic effects leading to selection of antibiotic resistant pathogenic Organisms. Adverse- effects to the individual taking them diminish the wide ecologic effects leading to selection of antibiotic resistant pathogenic organisms.
Objective: To assess the pattern of antibiotic usage in surgical in-patients of a teaching hospital in north west of Ethiopia Subjects and method: Hospital-based prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on surgical in-patients for a duration of three months (Jan.-Mar.2002).
Results: Out of 236 patients who have been admitted to the surgical ward during the study period, 167(70.8%) received antibiotics for prophylaxis (32%) and treatment (38.8%)purposes mainly on empirical basis. The average number of antibiotics per patient was 2.17 for prophylaxis and 2.18 for treatment; and the mean duration of therapy was 3.2 days for prophylaxis and 8.7 days for treatment. Frequently prescribed antibiotics or their combinations were ampicillin, chloramphenicol and gentamicin.
Conclusion: The average number of antibiotics and the mean duration of particularly prophylactic antibiotic therapy were some how increased. The use of antibiotics on empirical basis was a routine prescribing practice .The rationale of some antibiotic combinations requires evaluation; and the establishment of antibiotic policy and treatment guidelines with periodic assessment of the sensitivity pattern of pathogenic organisms are recommended. [Ethiop.J.Health Dev.
2004;18(1):35-38]