Evaluation Of Psychotropic Drugs Use Pattern Among Out Patients Attending Psychiatry Department At Government Medical College And Hospital, Nagpur: A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Psychotropic drugs are costly, imparting pill burden on patients and monitorial burden on health care system due to irrational prescribing. Our aim was to find drug utilization pattern amongst out-patients attending the psychiatry out-patient department of Government Medical College, Nagpur. This was the prospective, cross sectional and observational study over 22 weeks on 515 newly diagnosed psychiatric patients. Results are expressed in percentage (%). Average drugs per prescription were 2.05±0.006 in men and 1.90±0.05 in women. 100% drugs were prescribed by brand names. The cost of drugs per prescription in Indian rupees was 68.33±7.30. Most common drug group prescribed was antidepressant (60.4%). Olanzapine use was highest (26.6%). Irrational co-prescription, antidepressant + BZD (15.5%) was commonest. Women were prescribed more antidepressants (Tricyclics > SSRI) (17.7%, χ²=4.26, p<0.039). Less than 45 years accounted for most prescription. The common psychiatric illness was “schizophrenia and other psychiatric illnesses”. None of drug was prescribed by generics. So we are at conclusion that prescription pattern is irrational and this should be intervened by educating prescribers about rational prescribing in psychiatry.