A multicenter prospective study on prescribing pattern of pre and post operative medications in geriatric patients sStudy on prescribing pattern among surgical geriatric patients: A prospective study Section MEDICAL SCIENCE
##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.main##
Abstract
Background: The post-operative complications has been the major challenge among surgical geriatric patients due to treatment failure, the need for monitoring and management of these complications through pharmacotherapeutic regimen, monitoring plans can lead to provide positive outcome and quality of life.
Aim: To check the prescribing pattern of pre and post-operative medications in elderly patients undergoing non cardiac surgery.
Methods: This descriptive prospective study conducted in two tertiary care hospitals. Hundred patients who underwent non cardiac-surgery of age above 60 were included. Simple random sampling technique has been employed for selection of participants. The search strategy used in this literature has been derived from various databases such as PUBMED, SCIENCE DIRECT, COCHRANE LIBRARY, TRIP, EMBASS etc. Age, gender, department of surgery, diagnosis, prescribing pattern of pre and post operative medications, surgical procedure and complications are noted.
Results: Of the total cases available hundred cases of elderly surgical patients were selected from two tertiary care centres. All the cases were redistributed depending age, gender, department, category of medication, diagnosis, pattern in preoperative and post operative and non cardiac wise. Prescribing patterns were determined from this data and was assessed. Prescribing pattern of pre operative drug (cumulative) category include 21% of antibiotics use. Whereas in post operative drug made 28% of antibiotics use. The Prescribing pattern of pre operative drugs in non cardiac surgery patients (cumulative) includes 26% ranitidine, whereas in post operative drugs include 16% ceftriaxone.
Interpretation and conclusions: Prescribing for older patients is an extraordinarily complex endeavor. The incidence of antibiotics use in postoperative drugs given for surgical elderly patients is more than the preoperative drugs given for the same category. Increasing age itself is an important risk factor for surgical patients. Post operative complications are directly related to poor surgical outcomes in the elderly. A comprehensive preoperative evaluation is recommended to identify and address these issues.