Enoxaparin Utilization Evaluation: An Observational Prospective Study in Medical Inpatients

Drug utilization evaluation (DUE) is an effective program to identify variability in drug use and to support interventions that will improve patient outcomes. The appropriate use of enoxaparin, a low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), which is widely used as curative or preventive treatment of thromboembolic disorders was assessed in the study. A prospective DUE was carried out at Masih Daneshvari teaching hospital. Criteria for the appropriate use of enoxaparin was used to evaluate prescription and administration patterns in this hospital. Enoxaparin utilization of 147 inpatients was reviewed. A total of 944 variables (70.92%) in the regimen, among all subjects, were rated as appropriate and 382 (28.70%) were rated as inappropriate for the conditions diagnosed. The results of this study showed that inappropriate dosing, administration and prescribing of enoxaparin is rather common in masih hospital. Educational programs and implementation of protocols may be needed in the teaching hospitals to control prescribing patterns.