Advances in Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety

Abstrait

Drug Use Evaluation of Ciprofloxacin at Inpatient and Outpatient Departments of Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital, Harar General Hospital and Jagol Hospital in Harar City

Alemu Tadesse Feroche*, Birhanu Motbaynor Alemu

Background: Ciprofloxacin has been used for chemotherapy of bacterial infections over the years in Ethiopia. However, not much is understood about the standard of its use regarding the appropriateness of clinical indication, dosage administered, dose frequency, duration and potential for interactions with multivalent cations.

Methods: A retrospective drug use evaluation was conducted based on patient prescription records (cross-sectional study) and standard treatment guidelines, which cover a one-year period. The sample size targeted to use was 400 prescriptions. The data were collected and checked for its clarity and compiled in the form of tables, percentages, and graphs.

Results: From a total of 400 prescriptions, 56% of them were prescribed for females. Only 71 (17.75%) have the diagnosis and the prescribed dose of ciprofloxacin was 500mg with BID based in generic form and frequently for seven days. From the total 75% of prescriptions contain drugs with ciprofloxacin. Mostly two drugs were prescribed with ciprofloxacin 42%. Frequently prescribed drug categories with ciprofloxacin were other Antibacterial which accounts for 121 (40.33%) and doxycycline was dominant.

Conclusion: All prescription evaluated with regards to UTI, STI, enteric fever infections were found to meet the standard criteria appropriate for ciprofloxacin use with respect to dose, dose frequency and use of other drugs. However, in the case of dose duration, the evaluation was found to be largely inappropriate for all the unjustified indications.