Study of drug utilization pattern of antihyperglycemic agents in a South Indian tertiary care teaching hospital

• Published in: Indian journal of pharmacology Vol. 44; no. 2; pp. 210 - 214
• Main Authors: Abdi, Sayed Aliul Hasan, Churi, Shobha, Kumar, Y S Ravi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd 01-03-2012; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd
• Subjects: Clinical trials; Drug dosages; Health aspects; Hospitals, Teaching; Hypoglycemic agents; Insulin; Pharmacokinetics; Pharmacology; Physiological aspects; Teaching hospitals; India; Defined daily dose; diabetes mellitus; drug utilization
• ISSN: 0253-7613; 1998-3751
• DOI: 10.4103/0253-7613.93850

To determine the drug utilization pattern of antihyperglycemic agents (AHA) in a tertiary care teaching hospital.
This was a prospective observational study. All the relevant data were collected and drug utilization pattern of AHA was determined. Direct cost associated with the use of antihyperglycemic medicines was calculated and consumption of the antihyperglycemic medicines was measured as defined daily dose (DDD)/100 bed-days. The adverse drug reactions (ADRs) related to anti-diabetic medicines were monitored.
Chi square test (χ(2)), mean±standard deviation.
During the study period, 350 patients diagnosed as diabetes mellitus (DM) were admitted. Insulin was prescribed as monotherapy to 81% and to 52% patients during hospital stay and discharge, respectively. Increase in utilization of insulin was recorded in majority of the patients due to presence of co-morbid conditions or resistance to oral hypoglycemic drugs. Use of insulin at the time of discharge decreased significantly (P<0.05) by 29%. Among the oral AHA, combination of glimepiride with metformin was more prevalent during hospital stay and at the time of discharge monotherapy of metformin followed by glimepiride was more prevalent. During hospital stay, cost of AHA was found to be Rs. 95.27 ± 119.03. The total antihyperglycemic drug consumption in the medicine ward during study period was 13.42 DDD/100 bed-days. Fifty ADRs were reported and descriptions of ADRs were found to be only hypoglycemia.
The study exhibited a significant increase in the utilization of two drug combination therapies and monotherapy of oral AHA and decrease in the utilization of insulin at the time of discharge.