A Cross Sectional Study to Analyze Drug Utilization Pattern of Pain Clinic in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Central India

Background: Pain is associated with increased prevalence of chronic diseases which adverselyaffects the quality of life of patients. This also leads to increased demand of drugs for chronic painrelief. Drug utilization pattern studies of pain clinic are therefore important to ascertain rational useof medicines in healthcare system.The study aims to evaluate drug utilization pattern in pain clinicof a tertiary care teaching hospital. Methods: A cross sectional study was done by analyzing prescriptions of patients at pain clinic ofMYH Hospital of Indore, MP, India, for a period of 3 months from November 2021 to January 2022.Total 260 prescriptions were analyzed on the basis of WHO core prescribing indicators, FDC (FixedDose Combinations) NLEM (National List of Essential Medicines) list by using descriptivestatistics. Results: Study results showed that analgesics were most commonly prescribed in the age grou p41-60 years. Lower back pain (28.8%) was the most common indication for prescribing analgesics inpain clinic with a female preponderance of 57.7%. Out of total 639 drugs, Fixed Dose Combinations(FDC)(76.2%) were more than single drugs (24.8%). 59.3% of drugs were concomitant medications.80% (220) FDCs were generic and Gabapentin+Nortryptiline (31.8%) was the commonest FDC.Pregabalin was the most commonly prescribed single drug preparation. Average number of drugs perencounter were 2.45 and generic prescribing was 85.7%. Total 46% of medicines were prescribedfrom NLEM. Conclusion: We found that FDC, generic prescribing and concomitant medications use was higher inour study. The study guides for rational prescribing of analgesics to maximize pain relief and minimizeadverse effects associated with it.