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Research Paper | Pharmacotherapeutics | India | Volume 11 Issue 12, December 2022

Study on Prescribing Pattern of Corticosteroids in the Management of Asthma in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital

Abhishek S ^[58] | Reshma Elsa Jacob | Sanjana P Berchmans | Nasliya Ap1 Ravikumar

Abstract: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of airways and is of increasing prevalence, affecting all age groups. Long - term treatment is required for the effective management of the disease. Corticosteroids are widely prescribed in asthmatic patients. These anti - inflammatory agents can have significant systemic effects which are harmful to the patient. Hence, the selection of steroidal drugs and its dosage regimen should be done cautiously. Aim: This study attempts to assess the prescribing pattern of corticosteroids in asthma patients in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Methodology: The prospective study was conducted for a period of 6 months. Case records of 150 patients were selected based on the study criteria. A suitably designed data collection form was used to collect the required data. Statistical analysis was done using Microsoft Excel. Results: In the study, 64% of the patients were female. Steroid nebulizers (68.7%) were found to be the most commonly prescribed formulation followed by systemic steroids (41.33%) followed by metered dose inhalers (26%) followed by oral corticosteroids (14%) and dry powder inhalers (14%) that were the least prescribed. Conclusion: Inhaled corticosteroids were found to be the effective therapy for the management of asthma. Nebulisation was the most preferred route of administration. Budesonide + Formoterol were the most commonly prescribed fixed dose combination. Cost analysis of the prescription was carried out and found to be affordable by the patient population.

Keywords: Asthma, corticosteroids, prescription pattern, retrospective, inflammation

Edition: Volume 11 Issue 12, December 2022,

Pages: 64 - 67