Secular Trends of Use of Medicines with Special Reference to Antibiotics in the Southern City of India
Author(s):
Kiranmayee A1, Lakshmi B.V.S.2
, Vaishnavi B2 and Dinesh Kumar B1
Introduction: Monitoring the consumption profile of medicines has become one of the important tools for assessing the rationality as it depends on the various indigenous factors. ICMR-NIN monitors drug consumption at retail pharmacy outlets with an objective to document the precepts and practices exist between prescription and consumption of medicine. This facilitates to translate in developing interventions and policy strategies for promotion of rational use of drugs.
Methodology: The present paper is the compilation of scientific papers documenting consumption profile of medicines and physician practices. The precepts and practices on drug consumption pattern are generated in 1985, 1995, 2013 and 2020 in a pre-tested schedule following active sampling pattern.
Results: In last three decades, the self-medication rate in India both at rural and urban areas has reduced by two folds. Among the top three categories of drugs prescribed Anti-inflammatory, multi-mineral & multivitamin supplements, antibiotics preferences have changed. The observation on use of antacids has emerged in prescribed category of drugs. The drugs prescribed in metabolic disorders also increased by 4 % in 1985 to 12% in 2020. In antibiotic category, the preferences for broad spectrum have increased by 3-5 folds in comparison to conventional. In the Covid-19 pandemic, the use of azithromycin was high among macrolide antibiotics.
Conclusion: Monitoring the secular trends in precepts and practices on use of medicines is essential to develop he interventional strategies and facilitate policy makers accordingly.
