DRUG UTILIZATION PATTERN IN OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL, MIMS, MANDYA

Background: Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) disorders constitute a significant portion of morbidity in both urban and rural populations, contributing substantially to (OPD) visits across all age groups. Conditions such as otitis media, hearing loss, allergic rhinitis, pharyngitis, ringing sensation in the ear, sinusitis, tonsilitis and vertigo are frequently encountered in ENT OPDs. These disorders, while often non-life threatening, can significantly impact quality of life, and in some cases, may lead to serious complications if not managed properly. The prescribing pattern reflects the prescriber‘s clinical judgement, adherence to treatment guidelines. Monitoring and evaluating prescribing trends in ENT OPDs are essential to promote the rational use of medicines, ensure adherence to essential drug lists, and align practice with WHO core prescribing indicators. Objective: To analyse and to evaluate prescribing pattern using WHO core prescribing indicators. Methods And Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Patients who visited the ENT OPD and met the inclusion criteria had their pertinent data obtained from their prescriptions. Results: This study analysed 200 prescriptions from the ENT outpatient department of MIMS Teaching Hospital, Mandya. Males (56%) were more affected than females (44%), with middle-aged patients (41–60 years, 32%) representing the largest group. Earache (20%) and throat pain (14.5%) were the most common presenting symptoms. The average number of drugs per prescription was 3.17, indicating polypharmacy, with most containing two to four drugs. Among 634 drugs prescribed, antihistamines (25.53%) were most frequent, followed by antibiotics (19.72%) and analgesics (14.67%), with CTZ and Cefixime being the leading agents. Tablets were the predominant dosage form (72.88%), and most drugs were prescribed by generic name (96.05%). Supportive non- pharmacological measures, such as keeping the ear dry (42.46%) and steam inhalation (24.66%), were also recommended. WHO prescribing indicators showed higher than standard drug use per encounter but near-ideal generic and essential medicine prescribing, while injection use was absent due to the outpatient setting. Overall, prescribing practices were largely rational, though polypharmacy was notable. Conclusion: The study evaluated prescribing patterns in the ENT outpatient department. Most drugs were prescribed as oral solids, mainly from the WHO Essential Drug List, with generics preferred to reduce patient costs. Ear-related complaints were most common, followed by throat and nasal conditions. Findings emphasize rational drug use, patient education, and the need for periodic drug utilization studies to optimize therapy.