background according to world health organization (who) estimation, more than half of all pharmaceutical products are inappropriately prescribed, distributed, and sold and more than half of all patients use the medicines prescribed for them incorrectly. as more than 40% of therapeutic costs are pharmaceutical costs, this implies a significant waste of health resources in the world. objectives t...

background : since albumin imposes a relatively high cost to a healthcare system, drug use evaluation for this drug is much more important. this study wants to evaluate pattern of albumin use in a large university affiliated hospital in tehran, iran. methods : a concurrent, cross-sectional study was performed in “shaheed rajaei” cardiovascular, medical and research center. all inpatient adults ...

BACKGROUND Inappropriate prescribing has been estimated to be as high as 40% in long-term care. The purpose of this study was to develop a computer program that identifies potentially inappropriate drug prescriptions and to test its reliability. METHODS Potentially inappropriate prescriptions were identified based on modified McLeod guidelines. A database from one pharmacy servicing long-term...

QUESTION With the influenza season reaching a peak, I see numerous children in my clinic with fever and influenza-like illnesses. Parents are concerned and at times ask for antibiotic treatment in hopes that the treatment will shorten the duration of illness. What strategies can I use in order to minimize inappropriate prescription of antibiotics during the influenza season? ANSWER Use of ant...

background : proton pump inhibitors (ppis) are currently the most effective agents for acid related disorders. however, studies show that 25-75% of patients receiving intravenous pantoprazole had no appropriate justification, indicating high rate of inappropriate prescribing in hospitals. the aim of this study is to examine the appropriate use of intravenous pantoprazole in accordance with guid...

BACKGROUND With the increasing incidence rate of chronic kidney disease (CKD), inappropriate use of medicine in CKD patients is an important issue, as it may cause adverse effects in patients and progression to chronic renal failure. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to assess the frequency of inappropriate medicine use among CKD patients. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted from...

BACKGROUND Prescription errors that occur due to the process of pill splitting are a common medication problem; however, available prescription information involving inappropriate pill splitting and its associated factors is lacking. METHODS We retrospectively evaluated a cohort of ambulatory prescriptions involving extended-release or enteric-coated formulations in a Taiwan medical center du...