Drug prescription pattern for asthma among nigerian doctors in general practice: A cross-sectional survey
Background: A wide range of medications are now available for the treatment of asthma and selection of the optimal treatment combination of agents is essential. Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate a self-reported drug prescribing pattern for asthma among Nigerian doctors in general prac...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2012-01-01
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| Series: | Annals of Thoracic Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.thoracicmedicine.org/article.asp?issn=1817-1737;year=2012;volume=7;issue=2;spage=78;epage=83;aulast=Fawibe |
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| author | Ademola E Fawibe Cajetan C Onyedum Olumide M Sogaolu A O Ajayi A J Fasae |
| author_facet | Ademola E Fawibe Cajetan C Onyedum Olumide M Sogaolu A O Ajayi A J Fasae |
| author_sort | Ademola E Fawibe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: A wide range of medications are now available for the treatment of asthma and selection of the optimal treatment combination of agents is essential.
Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate a self-reported drug prescribing pattern for asthma among Nigerian doctors in general practice.
Methods: It was a cross-sectional survey conducted among general practitioners in six states of Nigeria.
Results: For acute severe asthma, 75.9% of the doctors prescribed intravenous methylxanthines, which was combined with oral or inhaled short-acting β2 agonists (SABA) by 56.3% of them. Systemic steroids were prescribed mainly via the intravenous route by 58.8% of them. Aberrant drugs such as antibiotics, antihistamines, and mucolytics were prescribed by 25.6% of them. For long-term, follow-up treatment of asthma, oral steroids, and oral SABA were commonly prescribed, while inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and ICS/LABA (long acting beta agonists) were infrequently prescribed. Aberrant drugs such as analgesics, antimalaria, and antihistamines were prescribed by 22.8% of them. About 48% of the doctors had never attended any form of update training on asthma management, whereas, only 16.3% attended update training on asthma within the last year preceding this study. Awareness of international guidelines on asthma treatment was poor among them with only 16.4% being able to mention any correct guideline on asthma management.
Conclusion: The poor anti-asthma prescribing behavior among these doctors is associated with a low level of participation at update training on asthma management and poor awareness of asthma guidelines. The Nigerian Medical Association and the Nigerian Thoracic Society should urgently address these problems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:17:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1eda32de57e04d7fb0df9e113b8b7f64 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1817-1737 1998-3557 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:17:17Z |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of Thoracic Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-1eda32de57e04d7fb0df9e113b8b7f642022-12-22T03:53:55ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsAnnals of Thoracic Medicine1817-17371998-35572012-01-0172788310.4103/1817-1737.94524Drug prescription pattern for asthma among nigerian doctors in general practice: A cross-sectional surveyAdemola E FawibeCajetan C OnyedumOlumide M SogaoluA O AjayiA J FasaeBackground: A wide range of medications are now available for the treatment of asthma and selection of the optimal treatment combination of agents is essential. Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate a self-reported drug prescribing pattern for asthma among Nigerian doctors in general practice. Methods: It was a cross-sectional survey conducted among general practitioners in six states of Nigeria. Results: For acute severe asthma, 75.9% of the doctors prescribed intravenous methylxanthines, which was combined with oral or inhaled short-acting β2 agonists (SABA) by 56.3% of them. Systemic steroids were prescribed mainly via the intravenous route by 58.8% of them. Aberrant drugs such as antibiotics, antihistamines, and mucolytics were prescribed by 25.6% of them. For long-term, follow-up treatment of asthma, oral steroids, and oral SABA were commonly prescribed, while inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and ICS/LABA (long acting beta agonists) were infrequently prescribed. Aberrant drugs such as analgesics, antimalaria, and antihistamines were prescribed by 22.8% of them. About 48% of the doctors had never attended any form of update training on asthma management, whereas, only 16.3% attended update training on asthma within the last year preceding this study. Awareness of international guidelines on asthma treatment was poor among them with only 16.4% being able to mention any correct guideline on asthma management. Conclusion: The poor anti-asthma prescribing behavior among these doctors is associated with a low level of participation at update training on asthma management and poor awareness of asthma guidelines. The Nigerian Medical Association and the Nigerian Thoracic Society should urgently address these problems.http://www.thoracicmedicine.org/article.asp?issn=1817-1737;year=2012;volume=7;issue=2;spage=78;epage=83;aulast=FawibeAsthmadrug prescriptiongeneral practitionersNigeria |
| spellingShingle | Ademola E Fawibe Cajetan C Onyedum Olumide M Sogaolu A O Ajayi A J Fasae Drug prescription pattern for asthma among nigerian doctors in general practice: A cross-sectional survey Annals of Thoracic Medicine Asthma drug prescription general practitioners Nigeria |
| title | Drug prescription pattern for asthma among nigerian doctors in general practice: A cross-sectional survey |
| title_full | Drug prescription pattern for asthma among nigerian doctors in general practice: A cross-sectional survey |
| title_fullStr | Drug prescription pattern for asthma among nigerian doctors in general practice: A cross-sectional survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Drug prescription pattern for asthma among nigerian doctors in general practice: A cross-sectional survey |
| title_short | Drug prescription pattern for asthma among nigerian doctors in general practice: A cross-sectional survey |
| title_sort | drug prescription pattern for asthma among nigerian doctors in general practice a cross sectional survey |
| topic | Asthma drug prescription general practitioners Nigeria |
| url | http://www.thoracicmedicine.org/article.asp?issn=1817-1737;year=2012;volume=7;issue=2;spage=78;epage=83;aulast=Fawibe |
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