Abstract

PRESCRIBING PATTERN OF DIURETICS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL-A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Diuretics are among the most commonly prescribed medications. Diuretics are a mainstay of therapy for a wide variety of diseases ranging from hypertension to the nephrotic syndrome. Aim: This study was aimed to determine the prescribing pattern of diuretics. Objective: To determine the prescribing pattern of diuretics in a tertiary care hospital.Methods: In this prospective observational analysis, all patients prescribed with diuretics presented between October 2021 to April 2022 in General medicine department of Karuna Medical College Hospital, Vilayodi were included . Data on diuretic medication, baseline characteristics and laboratory data including electrolytes and renal function parameters were obtained from all patients. The collected data was compiled and data analysis was performed. Results: Out of 100 patients enrolled in the study, distribution of patients according to gender were as 64% male and 36% female. In distribution of patients according to age, maximum number of patients was under the age group of 58-77 years (48%) and minimum number of patients wasunder the age group of 18-37 years (6%). In distribution according to disease conditions, hypertension with comorbidities were prescribed with higher number of diuretics(28%) and on distribution of patient based on number of diuretics per prescription , prescription with single diuretics were higher with 68 patients.The pattern of diuretic prescription with monotherapy showed furosemide (53.7%) are commonly prescribed and least was chlorthalidone(5%). Conclusions: The present study concluded that most commonly prescribed diuretic was furosemide and the least prescribed diuretic was chlorthalidone. Male patients were more than female patients in our study. Predominant age group was 58-77 years. Diuretics was prescribed mostly for hypertensive patients with diabetes mellitus. Single diuretic was most commonly prescribed followed by double and then triple therapy