A survey conducted by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) highlighted several key findings regarding the prescription and use of antibiotics in hospitals amidst growing concerns about Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
Key Findings of the Survey
Preventative Use of Antibiotics
- Over half of the surveyed patients (55%) were prescribed antibiotics for prophylactic indications, meant to prevent infections, rather than for therapeutic purposes (45%) to treat infections.
Antibiotic Prescription Patterns
- Only a small fraction (6%) of patients were prescribed antibiotics after a confirmed diagnosis of the specific bacteria causing their illness (definitive therapy), while the majority (94%) were on empirical therapy, based on the doctor’s clinical assessment of the likely cause of the illness.
Lack of Specific Diagnosis
- 94% of patients received antibiotics before a definitive medical diagnosis was confirmed, highlighting the prevalent use of antibiotics without precise knowledge of the infection’s cause.
Variation Among Hospitals
- There were wide variations in antibiotic prescription rates among the hospitals, ranging from 37% to 100% of patients being prescribed antibiotics.
- A significant proportion (86.5%) of the prescribed antibiotics were administered through the parenteral route (not orally).
Drivers of AMR
- The NCDC survey notes, that one of the main drivers for the development of antibiotic resistance is the excessive and inappropriate use of antibiotics.
Antimicrobial Resistance
- Antimicrobial resistance is the resistance acquired by any microorganism (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, etc.) against antimicrobial drugs (such as antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, antimalarials, and anthelmintics) that are used to treat infections.
- As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist, and may spread to others.
- It is a natural phenomenon as bacteria evolve, making drugs used to treat infections less effective.
- Microorganisms that develop antimicrobial resistance are sometimes referred to as “superbugs”.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified AMR as one of the top ten threats to global health.