Study of Prescription Pattern of Antibiotics in Treating Lower Respiratory Tract Infection at Sohag Chest Hospital

Abstract

Twenty physicians and fifty patients were surveyed to study and evaluate the prescription pattern of antibiotics in lower respiratory tract infections at Sohag Chest Hospital. The physicians qualification were MB.B.Ch (5 physicians, 25%), Master (5 physicians, 25%) and diploma (10 physicians, 50%). Forty percent of the physicians considered text books and thirty percent of the physicians considered pharmaceutical companies as a main source of information about antibiotics. Ninety five percent of the physicians used to prescribe AB empirically. Sixty percent of the physicians considered their own experience as a reference for empirical AB prescription. Almost all of the physicians considered the presence of co-morbid diseases during AB prescription .Eighty percent of the physicians considered the severity of infection as the most important factor affecting the route of ABs administration. The results also showed that forty five percent of the physicians considered quinolones as the most common AB prescribed for empirical therapy. Fifty percent of the physicians considered the 4-7 days' duration for empirical therapy. Thirty percent of the physicians considered quinolones as the most frequent prescribed AB modified based on culture. Sixty five percent of the physicians considered quinolones as the most common AB prescribed for CAP. Forty percent of the physicians considered quinolones as the most common AB prescribed for HAP, while seventy percent of the physicians considered quinolones as the most common AB prescribed for COPD, AE. Fifty five percent of the physicians depended on clinical and radiological findings for AB prescription. Fifty five percent of the physicians decided that the most important symptom when AB prescription was based on clinical assessment is purulence of sputum. Sixty five percent of the physicians considered improvement of general condition as the most important factor determining the efficacy of AB prescribed. Forty percent of the physicians considered 2-3 days' duration was enough to assess the efficacy of AB prescribed. Fifty percent of the physicians included in the study changed the AB group in case the prescribed AB was ineffective. The study showed that the majority of the physicians used to make sure that the prescribed AB was the one actually given to the patient. Most of the physicians used to ask the patient before prescribing the AB if he was sensitive to certain AB. Seventy five percent of the physicians used to ask the patient about the AB history in the last 3 months. Fifty percent of the physicians, their AB prescription decision might be sometimes affected by the patient. The study was included 50 patients who were admitted at Sohag Chest Hospital. Thirty two (64%) were males, while eighteen (36%) were females, 21 years to 80 years with mean of age 56.78years.