DRUG UTILIZATION EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT OF ECONOMIC BURDEN OF ANTICOAGULANTS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN SOUTH INDIA

Abstract

Author(s): Vineela Chadalavada*, Gangula Venkata Naga Mounika, Vasa Veera Venkata Saikiran, Gonela Sai Medha Sree

Anticoagulants used for many indications, both prophylaxis and therapeutic treatment, are associated with high risk, hence drug utilization evaluation is essential. Objective: The objectives of the study were to evaluate the drug utilization of anticoagulants, assessment of anticoagulant cost in the prescription, identify and assess drug interactions with the use of anticoagulants. Method: This is a 6 months, prospective cross sectional study, evaluating 263 patients for their prescriptions containing anticoagulants in a tertiary care hospital in south India. Results: During the study period, among anticoagulants prescribed, Heparin is found most commonly prescribed for treatment as well as prophylaxis mainly in the cardiology and neurology wards. Acenocoumarol was the second most prescribed anticoagulant followed by Dalteparin Warfarin and Rivaroxaban. Intravenous heparin was prescribed in majority of inpatients of all the departments followed by Acenocoumarol and Enoxaparin. Only few Patients from departments other than cardiology and neurology are prescribed with Enoxaparin, Dalteparin Warfarin and Rivaroxaban. In the discharge prescriptions, Acenocoumarol and Enoxaparin were mainly observed. Among all the prescriptions, 7 cases are found to be prescribed with anticoagulants without any indication, which may increase treatment cost burden on patients. Dose adjustment for lower molecular weight heparin for patients with renal impairment was observed in the present hospital. But the monitoring parameters PT, PTT & INR are performed only in few patients. Moderate drug interactions are found in the prescriptions with mainly heparin and Acenocoumarol.