@entity32 ( XXXX ) Use in Primary Health Care Centers in A'Seeb, Muscat: A Clinical Audit.

@entity1 @entity32 @entity117 @entity5018 @entity1229
OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess the trend of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use in primary health care institutions located in A'Seeb, a province in the capital city of Oman, Muscat. Additionally, we evaluated the relationship between a physician's years of experience and the number of prescription issued, as well as the presence of risk factors and side effects in the @entity1 who received these prescriptions. METHOD: A clinical audit was conducted in four primary health care centers in the Muscat region over a one-week period in April 2014. The target population included @entity1 aged 18 years or over who attended one of the four health centers and were prescribed @entity32 . Overall, 272 @entity1 were recruited by systematic random sampling. The data were collected by two methods: direct face-to-face interviews and evaluations of the @entity1 's electronic medical file. The prescribing doctors were blind to the audit. The collected information included @entity1 demographics, past and current medical history of related comorbidities, NSAID type, dose, duration and indications for use, concomitant @entity1229 or/and @entity117 prescriptions, and co-prescription of gastroprotective agents. RESULTS: In total, 15% of @entity1 received an NSAID prescription: females were issued more prescriptions than males. The percentage of @entity1 who received an NSAID prescription across the health centers ranged from 9% to 24%. The main reason for prescribing @entity32 was musculoskeletal problems. The most frequently prescribed NSAID was @entity5018 . Sixteen percent of @entity1 who received an NSAID prescription had a risk factor related to its use. The mean and median duration of the NSAID prescriptions of all types were 5.6 and 5.0 days, respectively. Physicians with a greater number of years experience prescribed more @entity32 . CONCLUSION: Our study showed that the number of prescriptions of @entity32 among various institutes varied, which could reflect the level of awareness concerning NSAID risks among the prescribing doctors. @entity32 were prescribed for @entity1 with comorbidities and @entity1 with previously documented side effects without considering protective agents. Therefore, we suggest that the use of these medications is controlled, especially in high-risk populations.
