PRESCRIPTION PATTERN OF DRUGS USED IN THE TREATMENT OF PEPTIC ULCER DISEASE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF GASTROENTEROLOGY IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

For more than a century Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD) has been considered to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Most first line treatment for PUD involves use of acid suppressing drugs and target against the eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. However, the treatment strategy employed in India is not well studied. Hence, this study aims to provide insight into the prescription pattern of drugs used in PUD in India. The data was extracted from the medical records of all patients diagnosed with PUD from June 2011 to May 2012. A retrospective analysis was done to study the prescribing pattern of the drugs. The data was noted down on a pre-designed proforma and analysed. Records of 200 patients were assessed. About 91% of patients were prescribed anti H. pylori kit and the most commonly prescribed kit being Esomeprazole H. P kit (59.7%) followed by Pantoprazole H P kit. Following this, all patients were started on Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) for duration of about 6.89 +/- 2.25 weeks. On the basis of present study it was found that eradication of H. pylori is considered to be the most important treatment strategy in the management of PUD in India. Esomeprazole based HP kit was preferred, since several studies have shown them to be more efficacious. This was followed by a course of PPI to prevent recurrence.