Esimone Charles Okey, Nworu Chukwuemeka Sylvester, Udeogaranya Obinna Patrick
Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 410001, Enugu State, Nigeria.
Pharm World Sci. 2007 Dec;29(6):655-60. doi: 10.1007/s11096-007-9124-0. Epub 2007 Apr 27.
We conducted a study in out-patient pharmacies in South-eastern Nigeria in order to determine the extent of self-medication of antimicrobial agents in this area, assess the dosing error associated with this practice and to ascertain the extent of involvement of community pharmacies.
A survey was carried out daily in selected community pharmacies for a period of 90 days. Data were collected on the number of patients visiting these shops for antimicrobial agents, the number getting their medication with a prescription, the number getting their order without prescription and on the type and dose of antimicrobial agents received. MAIN OUT-COME MEASURE: The percentage of patients with prescription and without prescription was compared. The percentage under-dosages or over-dosages associated with how each antimicrobial agent was obtained were compared. The total DDDs of antimicrobial agents dispensed within this period with and without prescription were compared.
A total of 4,128 outpatients visited the shops for antimicrobial agents within the period and were involved in the study. Of this number, 1,742 (42.2%) came with a prescription from qualified medical personnel and 2,386 (57.8%) came without a prescription. A total of 13,693.13 DDDs of antimicrobial agents was dispensed, of which 56.38% was dispensed with prescription and 43.62% was dispensed without prescription. The degrees of under-dosing were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in regimen filled without prescription when compared to those filled with prescription.
Majority of the patients in this region still obtains their antimicrobial agents without a proper prescription, which is associated with sub-therapeutic dosing of these agents. There is a need for better regulation of antimicrobial agents dispensing and utilization in the region.
我们在尼日利亚东南部的门诊药房开展了一项研究，以确定该地区抗菌药物自我药疗的程度，评估与此做法相关的剂量错误，并确定社区药房的参与程度。
在选定的社区药房进行了为期90天的每日调查。收集的数据包括前往这些商店购买抗菌药物的患者数量、凭处方购药的患者数量、无处方购药的患者数量以及所接受抗菌药物的类型和剂量。主要观察指标：比较有处方和无处方患者的百分比。比较每种抗菌药物获取方式相关的剂量不足或过量百分比。比较在此期间有处方和无处方配发的抗菌药物的总限定日剂量（DDD）。
在此期间共有4128名门诊患者前往商店购买抗菌药物并参与了研究。其中，1742名（42.2%）患者来自合格医务人员的处方，2386名（57.8%）患者无处方购药。共配发了13693.13 DDD的抗菌药物，其中56.38%是凭处方配发的，43.62%是无处方配发的。与凭处方配发的方案相比，无处方配发的方案中剂量不足的程度显著更高（P < 0.05）。
该地区大多数患者仍在没有适当处方的情况下获取抗菌药物，这与这些药物的亚治疗剂量有关。该地区需要更好地规范抗菌药物的配发和使用。
