Evaluation of Drug Prescriptions in Oral Surgery

Abstract

To evaluate the pattern of medication prescription in an oral surgery outpatient clinic. A questionnaire was distributed to Resident doctord, House Officers and final year dental students treating patients in Oral Surgery clinic of a Teaching Hospital in Southern part of Nigeria. The questionnaure sought answers to clinical and non clinical factors, including the medical history of the patients, diagnoses, treatment, as well as drugs prescribed, status of the prescriber and the indication of the prescription. Of the 400 questionnaires returned within the twnty four (24) weeks of carrying out this study, 78(19.5%) were filled by final year students, 202(50.5%) by House Officers, 106(26.5%) by Registrars and 14(3.5%) by Senior Registrars. The male patients were 172(43%) while the female patients were 228(57%). More than half of the patients 254(63.5%) were between 11 and 40 years while 146(36.5%) were between 41 and 70 years. Acute apical periodontitis was the most diagnosed condition, accounting for 186(46.5%) of the patients. Analgesics 364(54.5) was the most prescribed Drug, followed by antimicrobials 234(35.0%), vitamins 54(8.1%), sedatives 10(1.5%) and intidepressants 6(0.9%). The analysis shows that analgesics and antimicrobials were the most prescribed medication. This however buttresses that the management of the orofacial pain and dental infection is inherent in dental practice.

Keywords: Drig Prescription, Analgesics, Antimicrobial, Therapeutics, Prophylaxis