Prescribing Pattern of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs at the Outpatient Pharmacy Department of a University Teaching Hospital in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAID), are among the most widely used and misused of all drugs. Though they provide symptomatic relief from pain and swelling in chronic joint diseases, they may cause renal impairment, especially in combination with other nephrotoxic agents. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate the prescription pattern of NSAID in the Out-patient Pharmacy Department of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Nigeria. DESIGN A total of 3800 prescriptions containing NSAIDs were analyzed for information on drug name, the number of NSAIDs per prescription, the presence of ACE inhibitors and diuretics alongside NSAIDs and NSAIDs prescribed in generic or brand names. RESULTS The results showed that Aspirin was the most frequently prescribed NSAID (62.2%) and 68.4% of the NSAIDs prescriptions studied were written in generic names. The total number of drugs per prescription was in most cases 3 or greater (84.6%). There were statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) associations between the individual NSAID prescribed and whether they were prescribed in generics or brand names; individual NSAID prescribed and the frequency of co-prescription with an ACE inhibitor and a diuretic; types of NSAID prescribed and the cost in Naira. CONCLUSION Though most of the prescribers complied with WHO standard in their prescriptions vis a vis generic prescription, avoidance of polypharmacy and avoidance of drug interactions and contraindications, there is obvious need for interventional measures or strategies to improve rational prescribing for some of the prescribers tailored towards rational prescription and use of drugs.