Clinical Pharmacology

A Cross-Sectional Study on Current Prescribing Irrationality, Polypharmacy, and Drug-Drug Interactions (DDIs) Among Prescriptions in Dhaka City, Bangladesh

📅 Duration: January 2019 – December 2020
🏢 Affiliation:  University of Dhaka
👨‍🔬 Principal Investigator: Dr. Muhammad Asaduzzaman, Department of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacology, University of Dhaka 

📝 Project Synopsis: 

This study analyzed over 2,000 prescriptions from hospitals in Dhaka to assess prescribing patterns, errors, and drug interactions. Using KoboToolBox and RStudio, it found a high rate of polypharmacy (75%) and a very low rate of rational prescribing (0.7%), highlighting serious concerns about unsafe and inappropriate prescribing practices that threaten patient safety. 

Most prescriptions (73.5%) were for female patients, with proton pump inhibitors, analgesics, vitamins, and single antibiotics prescribed most often. Nearly half (47%) contained four medicines, and antiulcerants were the most common drug class, especially esomeprazole (44.75%). PPIs and analgesics were frequently prescribed together, with prescribing patterns varying by age. Common errors included missing prescriber names (100%), no diagnosis (96.75%), unspecified doses (15.41%), and incorrect drug names (0.36%), underscoring the need for better prescribing practices and oversight. 

The study examined drug–drug interactions in 2,057 outpatient prescriptions, finding high antibiotic use with about 1,978 antibiotics prescribed—mainly cefuroxime, azithromycin, cefixime, and metronidazole. Around 24.3% of prescriptions had potential interactions, including 6 major, 79 moderate, and 23 minor cases. These findings emphasize the need for improved prescribing and regular DDI screening to enhance patient safety. 

🧪 Skills Applied:

• Statistical Data Analysis

• Data Collection & Management

• Scientific Writing

• Collaborative Problem Solving

• Analytical Skills

• R Programming

📚 Publication (In Progress): As the first author, I am actively involved in the preparation of the manuscript, which is being developed for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.