Research Article | Volume: 7, Issue: 2, February, 2017
Research Article | Volume: 7, Issue: 2, February, 2017
This article examined the pattern of psychotropic drugs used among the hospitalized patients in oncology and cardiology wards in a Malaysia teaching hospital. Prescription records in the oncology and cardiology wards of University Malaya Medical Centre between 1st of January and 31st of December 2014 were obtained retrospectively from the pharmacy database. The main outcome was prescribing pattern, calculated as the total defined daily dose (DDD) for that group of drugs divided by the number of beds multiplied with 365 days. 11.8% (n=160) of patients in the oncology ward and 5.3% (n=168) of patients in the cardiology ward had prescription records of psychotropic drugs. The odds of patients prescribed with psychotropic drug in the oncology ward were significantly higher than patients in the cardiology ward (OR=2.37, 95%CI: 1.89-2.98). However, psychotropic drugs usage in cardiology ward (DDD per 100 bed-days = 92.53) was higher than oncology ward (DDD per 100 bed-days = 62.56). Oncology patients were more often prescribed with psychotropic drugs. However, it was 1.5-fold higher in the usage of psychotropic drugs in cardiology based on the DDD calculation. Hence, to initiate early treatment and psychological distress screening among the cancer and cardiology patients is crucial.
Chan PL, Said MA, Aghamohammadi N, Tai YW, Ng CG. Utilization Pattern of Psychotropic Drugs in Oncology and Cardiology Ward in a Teaching Hospital in Malaysia. J App Pharm Sci, 2017; 7 (02): 167-173.
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