THE PRESCRIBING PATTERN OF ANTI-ASTHMATIC DRUGS FOR THE TREATMENT OF ASTHMA, AT DIFFERENT SETTINGS OF KARACHI, PAKISTAN

Shahnaz, Saira

doi:10.21608/bfsa.2020.127416

THE PRESCRIBING PATTERN OF ANTI-ASTHMATIC DRUGS FOR THE TREATMENT OF ASTHMA, AT DIFFERENT SETTINGS OF KARACHI, PAKISTAN

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Saira Shahnaz

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan

10.21608/bfsa.2020.127416

Abstract

Introduction: Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory disorder of respiratory airways with high growing prevalence around the globe.
Objectives: To evaluate the current prescribing practice and analyze the prescription for rational use of drugs of asthma by comparing with international guidelines of GINA (Global Initiative for Asthma.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the patients with confirmed diagnosis of asthma for the period of eight months at different setups of Karachi. The prescription and patients record files were evaluated for prescribing pattern and disease profile of asthma.
Results: study concluded 73.5% (n= 735) patients were male, while 26.5% (n= 265) patients were females, 42% (n= 105) patients were from inpatients setting of public sector hospitals, 26.8% (n= 67) from private sector hospital and 50% (n= 250) patients were from private clinics, while 58% (n= 145) were from out-patients departments of public sector hospitals. The inhaled corticosteroids were prescribed to almost more than half of the enrolled patients either monotherapy or combined drugs therapies 44.1% (n= 64), medication of class long acting beta agonists to 22.7% (n= 33) patinets, 17.2% (n= 25) patients were prescribed with leukotriene inhibiters.
Conclusion: The asthma treatment guidelines suggests the prescribing of corticosteroids and long acting beta agonists in combinations (LABA’s+ICS), that was observed in current study as successful therapy in two drug combinations therapies. Fluticasone+Salmeterol combination was observed as successful therapy.