Ceftriaxone use evaluation at the Medical Ward, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral hospital in Bhutan: A retrospective analytical study.

OBJECTIVES

Ceftriaxone is the most commonly prescribed cephalosporin antibiotic in hospital settings. The overall prescribing compliance with the national antibiotic guidelines remained unassessed at Jigme Dorji Wangchuk National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH), Bhutan.

METHODS

A retrospective analytical study was conducted by evaluating the medical records of patients who received ceftriaxone between January and December 2020 in the Medical Ward, JDWNRH. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 26.

RESULTS

A total of 201 (17.82%) patients, with a mean age of 54.83 years (SD ± 20.93), received ceftriaxone, and pneumonia (49.25%) was the most frequently documented indication. The overall appropriate use of ceftriaxone was observed among 37 patients (18.41%), while 47 cases (23.38%) were not assessable. Doxycycline (35.82%) and metronidazole (19.90%) were the most commonly co-prescribed antibiotics. Contraindications and serious drug-drug interactions were observed among 20 (9.95%) and 21 (10.45%) patients, respectively. The proportion of inappropriate use of ceftriaxone was significantly higher among patients who experienced a hospital stay of ≤7 days (P = 0.016).

CONCLUSIONS

Routine monitoring and evaluation of ceftriaxone use as part of an antimicrobial stewardship program are recommended to prevent antibiotic resistance in the future.