Kehinde A Ganiyu
,
Eneyi E Kpokiri,
Kelvin I Igbinovia,
For correspondence:- Kehinde Ganiyu Email: pharmkenny@gmail.com Tel: +2348098380705
Published: 30 December 2014
Citation: Ganiyu KA, Kpokiri EE, Igbinovia KI, Drug Utilization among Island Dwellers in Bayelsa State. J Sci Pract Pharm 2014; 1(1):63-66 doi: 10.47227/jsppharm.v1i1.13
© 2014 The author(s).
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Purpose: To assess drug utilization patterns in disease management and drug therapy problems (DTPs) inherent in prescribing practice at a secondary health care facility on Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
Methods: 504 case notes of patients who attended the General Hospital on Wilberforce Island between January 1st and December 31st, 2012 were randomly selected. The case notes were assessed for pattern of drug utilization in relation to encountered diseases as well as DTPs.
Results: The mean patients’ age was 26.94 ± 19.71 with females constituting 61.5 %of the cohort. Malaria (34.6 %), typhoid fever (17.0 %), urinary tract infection (9.9 %), and cardiovascular disorders (5.7 %) were the main ailments they presented at the health facility. Antibiotics (20.2%), analgesics (17.1%), multivitamins (14.8%), and antimalarials (13.5%) were the major drugs prescribed for the subjects. The average number of drugs prescribed per encounter was 5.43 ± 1.56 and detection rate of DTPs was 21.7% (1.19 ± 1.10 cases per prescription). Drug interactions (46.6%), unnecessary drug therapy (23.4%), need for additional drug therapy (19.7%) and wrong drug therapy (4.2%) were the major DTPs observed.
Conclusion: There was irrational prescription of drugs and high rate of DTPs for the Island dwellers
