| JNDA Vol. 11 No. 2 (July - December 2010) | |
Drug therapy in dental out patients |
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| Paudel KR | |
Download Full Article  137.97KB |
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| Abstract | |
Introduction: Pharmacotherapy and dental procedure are important factors to treat many dental diseases. Objectives: To find out the prescription patterns in relation to type, dose, duration, dosage form, frequency, route, trade/generic name and indication of the drugs prescribed in dental out-patients. Materials and methods: This study consisted of drug prescriptions of 200 dental patients attending different dental clinics in Kathmandu, Nepal. Data were collected by using pretested cutomised proforma by dental surgeons from June 2010 to September 2010. Data were compiled and Chi square test with Yates correction was applied whenever appropriate and level of significance was set at ≤5 %. Results: Two hundred patients received total number of 439 drug prescriptions. Out of 200 patients, 107 (53.5%) were males and 93 (46.5%) were females with age range 4-72 years old. Percentage of patients receiving three drugs, two drugs and one drug were 21%, 61% (P<0.01) and 16% respectively. 108 patients (54%, P<0.01) received antimicrobial agent (AMA) and along with other drug. Average no. of prescription per patient was 2.2. 354 drugs (86.6%, P<0.01) were prescribed by trade names and 354 (80.6%, P<0.01) drugs were prescribed in the form of tablets or capsules followed by syrup (5.7%). Out of 439 prescriptions, 258 (58.7%, P<0.01) were analgesic agents, 138 (31.5 %) antimicrobial agents (AMAs), 17 (3.9%) antiseptics and 10 (2.3%) desensitizing agents. 96.9% analgesic agents were from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory group. Extended spectrum penicllins were the most commonly prescribed (86.9%) followed by metronidazole (9.5%). Minimum to maximum number of days for pharmacotherapy were 1 to 21 and highest frequency was up to four times a day. Chronic irreversible pulpitis was the commonest diagnosis (28%) followed by chronic generalized gingivitis (27%). Conclusion: Nonsteriodal analgesics (paracetamol, nimesulide and ibuprofen) were most commonly prescribed medicine followed by extended spectrum penicillin (amoxicillin) and then metronidazole. All the patients received pharmacotherapy. Medicines were mostly prescribed by trade names in solid dosage forms (tablet/capsule) via oral route. Highest frequency of drug administration was up to four times a day with duration 1-21 days. Chronic irreversible pulpitis was the most common diagnosis followed by chronic generalized gingivitis. |
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| Keywords | |
Dentistry, Drug, Pharmacotherapy, Prescription |
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