OBJECTIVES:

The objective of the study was to assess antibiotic use in a clinical department of a university hospital.

METHODS:

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the Department of Internal Medicine – Endocrinology in the 600-bed Hue University Hospital. Data was collected from medical records of inpatients that were prescribed at least one antibiotic during hospital stay and were hospitalised in August 2017. The costs of antibiotics were retrieved from administrative data in pharmacy department.

RESULTS:

Of 100 patients collected, 93% of patients used antibiotics had signs and/or symptoms of infections. The average number of antibiotics prescribed in patients was 2.1 ± 0.3. Of 20 antibiotics used, beta-lactams were used most commonly (89% patients), followed by quinolones and imidazole groups (43% and 30%, respectively). About a half of patients used monotherapy. While 88% of patients were prescribed injectbale antibiotics 33% took oral antibiotics. The proportion of patients’ prescriptions had drug interactions between antibiotics and other drugs was 43%, of which the majority were mild-to-moderate interactions. Cost analysis found that costs of injectable antibiotics accounted for 99% of the total cost of antibiotics.

CONCLUSIONS:

The majority of patients were used injectable antibiotics with a high cost. Implementation of antibiotic stewardship interventions are needed to improve optimal antibiotic use.