A COST ANALYSIS STUDY ON DRUG PRESCRIBING PATTERN OF ANTIHISTAMINES IN DERMATOLOGICAL CONDITIONS AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL.

Mandeep Kaur*, Sumir Kumar and Ramandeep Kaur

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to bring out cost analysis and prescribing pattern of antihistamines in dermatology department of tertiary care teaching hospital in Faridkot, India. Prescriptions of total 176 Patients were collected from outpatient department over a period of 2 months (January to march 2016) while 96 of them followed up time to time. The most commonly prescribed antihistamines are cetrizine, levocetrizine, hydroxyzine, doxepin, ebastine, cefadroxil, chloroquine, cyperoheptadine, promethazine chlorpheiramine, fexofenadine, loratadine, topiramate, doxycycline. Antihistamines are one of the commonly used drugs for treating dermatological disorders. Periodic evaluation of prescribing patterns can increase the therapeutic efficacy, decrease adverse effects, and provide feedback to prescribers. The most frequent diseases seen in department are urticaria, acne, tinea, sebborhic and acute dermatitis, eczema and many other diseases that are less frequent like PMLE, xerosis. The pattern of drugs seen in different age groups from 0-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60, >60.

Keywords: antihistamines, dermatology, cost analysis, prescribing pattern, rationality.