Prescription Pattern of Antibiotics in Pulmonary Ward of a Tertiary Care Hospital, Jammu and Kashmir

BACKGROUND World population growth, pollution and overcrowding have all contributed to an increase in respiratory infections. Antibiotic resistant virulent bacteria are on the rise, and they're spreading quickly. As a general rule, lower respiratory tract infections cause only minor symptoms but can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Improvements in public and professional awareness of the long-term nature of many LRTIs could lead to better antibiotic stewardship. The objective of the study was to assess the prescription pattern of antibiotics in patients in a pulmonary ward of a tertiary care hospital, Jammu and Kashmir. METHODS A six-month prospective observational study in a pulmonary ward of a tertiary care hospital in Jammu and Kashmir looked at antibiotic use patterns in a single location. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 355 patients were considered for evaluation. Asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD), and acute respiratory infections such as the common cold and pharyngitis were all included in the study. RESULTS In our study, 230 (64.79%) of the 355 patients were males, while 125 (35.21%) were females. Pulmonary Tuberculosis had the highest number of cases observed (157 patients, 44.22 percent), followed by COPD 91 patients (25.63 percent), pneumonia 46 patients (12.95 percent), Pleural effusion cases 43 patients (12.11 percent), and Bronchiectasis cases 18 patients (5.07 percent). The findings revealed that the most commonly prescribed antibiotics were Cephalosporins, Macrolides, Metronidazole, Penicillins, Aminoglycosides, Doxycycline, Fluoroquinolones, and finally Carbapenems. CONCLUSIONS Globally, respiratory illnesses are on the rise due to a growth in population, pollution, urbanization and overcrowding. There is a rapid increase in the number of multi-drug-resistant pathogenic bacteria. However, lower respiratory tract infections can cause severe morbidity and mortality if left untreated. Understanding and judicious use of antibiotics may be improved if more people are aware of the long-term nature of LRTIs. In order to understand the dangers and advantages of antibiotic treatment, further research is needed. There is a risk that the use of antibiotics for minor viral respiratory infections could lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant viruses in the community.