Evaluation of Ceftriaxone Use for Hospitalized Patients in Ethiopia: The Case of a Referral Hospital

Keywords: Microorganisms resistance has grown due to frequent and misuse of antimicrobial agents both in humans and animals resulting in global public health and economic threats. We evaluated the prescribing practices of ceftriaxone at inpatients, Felege hiwot referral hospital in Ethiopia. We retrospectively reviewed the prescribing practices of ceftriaxone in 127 in patients who received ceftriaxone between April 1, 20015 and June 30, 2015. Ceftriaxone use evaluation was based on standards set by World health organization. The criteria used in this evaluation were indication for use, the dose, frequency, duration, contraindication and interaction. The presence of a single error in either of the individual criteria was considered as inappropriate use. The overall evaluation of use of ceftriaxone was inappropriate in 88 cases (70.0%) which seems higher than other hospitals in Ethiopia. Inappropriate use of ceftriaxone by diagnosis were, acute abdomen 23 (79.3%), pneumonia 19 (67.9%), sepsis 12 (75.0%), trauma 8 (80.0%), obstructed labor 7 (53.9%), elective surgical cases 6 (75.0%), meningitis 4 (44.4%), lower urinary tract infection 3 (100.0%), upper urinary tract infection 1 (50.0%), and others 5 (55.6%). The inappropriate use of ceftriaxone by the different units of inpatients were surgery 41cases (74.5%), internal medicine 19 cases (65.5%), gynecology and obstetrics 20 (74.1%), and pediatrics 8 (50%). Most of the durations of prescribing showed a high rate of inappropriateness which accounts 60 cases (47.2%) of the total inappropriateness followed by frequency 11 (8.7%), interaction 9 (7.1%), indication 6 (4.7%) and contraindication 2 (1.6%) respectively. Inappropriate prescribing of ceftriaxone was higher compared to other hospitals in Ethiopia. Antimicrobial stewardship in general and prudent prescribing of ceftriaxone in particular is needed to improve its useful life. This research can be extrapolated to other antimicrobials and health facilities for appropriate interventions. Antimicrobial Resistance, Drug use evaluation, Ceftriaxone, Ethiopia

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