drug prescribing

ANTIBIOTIC PRESCRIBING SURVEYED IN A MIDDLESEX DISTRICT HOSPITAL

Only 7% of surgical prophylaxis regimens are suitable All antibiotic prescriptions written doring November 1978 at a district general hospital (Central Middlesex Hospital) were surveyed. 366 patients, (ie: 28 % of all inpatients) were prescribed antibiotics. The proportion of patients receiving these drugs increased with age, ranging from 24 % [or patients < 11 years old to 63 96 for patients ;> 81 years old. Ampicill in was the most frequently prescribed ant ibiotic (4 1 96 of patients), followed by cloxacill in (1 1 96 ), penicillin (9 96 ). co-trimoxazole hrimelhoprim + sulfamethoxazole; 9 % ) and melTonidazoJe (7 %). 7096 of antibiotic courses were for treatment of infections, while 30 % were

for prophylaxis. 8096 of the ant ibiotics were considered suitable for the stated infection. However, most patients were prescribed antibiotics in the absence ofbacleriological evidence of the infecti ng agent. In 50% of courses, prescribers were not able 10 specify the pathogen against which treatment was directed. In surgical patients, only 7 % of prophylactic antibiotic regimens involved the correct choice of drug, method of administration and timing of doses. Over 66 % of prophylactic courses were given too early (before the day of operation) or too late (afler the procedure). Moss. F. cta!. : Lancet 2: 3411 (I S 11.\11 IllS !)

OI56-21OJ/ 8t / OOI2-(XX)5 $00.50/ 0 O ADIS Pl"ess tNPHARMA 12 Sep 1981 5