A Study of Using Anticoagulants in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangalore: A Prospective Study

Background: drug utilization studies are necessary to evaluate the rational use and associated risks of anticoagulants. This study aimed to identify drug utilization pattern and possible drug interactions with the use of anticoagulants in a tertiary care hospital in Bangalore. Methods: This prospective, observational study was conducted on 100 patients and anticoagulants utilization was assessed from Medicine ward of Bannerghatta Apollo hospital in Bangalore, India, during six months. Results: The most common indication for anticoagulants administration was ischemic heart disease (IHD)+acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with 47% and IHD alone with 22%. Most of the patients received single drug therapy, and parenteral drugs were more preferred than oral ones (91% vs. 6%). Among the medications, heparin (49%) followed by enoxaparin (29%) and fondaparinux (13%) were the most commonly prescribed drugs. Regarding laboratory tests, 29% of the patients were evaluated for the international normalized ratio (INR) and prothrombin time(PT). The finding showed that anticoagulants might interact with corticosteroids, some antibiotics such as piperacillin, azithromycin or other drugs such as tirofiban and losartan. Conclusion: Anticoagulant drug utilization pattern followed very commonly American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) guidelines. The inappropriate utilization patterns of anticoagulants may compromise the patient’s safety.