Antibiotic Abuse in the Surgical Word in Baquba Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Background: The common use of antibiotics has led to at least two adverse consequences. One consequence includes unpleasant and occasionally lethal side effects resulting from changes in the normal microbial flora, these events leading to many problems sometimes require surgical removal or in some cases, lead to death.

Objective: To investigate the usage and pattern of antibiotics in the surgical ward of Baquba teaching hospital.

Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective study perform in Baquba teaching hospital during the period 2011-2013. The data collected from files of the patients who underwent different surgeries from the statistic unit in the hospital, recalled for which patient received the antibiotics and for how long.

The types of surgeries involved in the study are those which belong to class one and two. Also prescribing advanced antibiotics instead of starting with the simple one is considered abuse.

Results: Seven hundreds and ninety five case file of patients underwent clean and clean-contaminated surgeries in Baquba teaching hospital was reviewed for the use of antibiotics preoperatively and/or postoperatively, the type of antibiotic used and the duration, 541 (68%) patients were underwent clean surgeries. All of them received antibiotics postoperatively, 254 (32%) patients were underwent clean contaminated surgeries. None of them received prophylactic antibiotics and all of them received postoperative antibiotics in the form of parenteral antibiotics for 7-10 days (till removal of the stiches) and continue on enteral antibiotics for another 3-5 days following removal of the stiches.367 (67.8%) patients of those underwent clean surgeries prescribed third generation cephalosporene (Cefotaxime). 233 (91.7) patients of those underwent clean contaminated surgeries given a combination of antibiotics (Cefotaxime+Metronidazole+/- Gentamycin).Antibiotics were abused in 600 (75.47%) patients. Only 195 (24.52%) patients prescribed antibiotics in the scientific way.

Conclusion: The random prescription of antibacterial is high leading to abuse of antibiotics. The number of antibacterials used and the duration shown to be increased. The combination of some antibiotics needs further evaluation.