A survey of cephalosporin use. Monitoring use in a hospital setting
Arthurson, S.L.; Turnidge, J.D.; Odgers, C.L.
Medical Journal of Australia 2(8): 436-439
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-729X PMID: 318492 Document Number: 153153
A survey of cephalosporin use was conducted at Flinders Medical Centre, a teaching hospital incorporating most specialty services. All in-patients who were prescribed cephalosporins over a seven-week period were monitored, and an evaluation of appropriateness of use was made by means of defined criteria. The cost of usage was also determined. During the study, 55 patients were given 57 courses of cephalosporins. In 59% of courses a cephalosporin was not the drug of choice; this figure comprised 42% of 33 therapeutic and 71% of 24 prophylactic courses. In most cases, the appropriate drug would have been a penicillin, usually a penicillinase-resistant penicillin. Prophylactic courses were often longer than normal recommendations. Each course cost approximately $25, about twice that of more appropriate drugs. It is suggested that future criteria-based reviews should be conducted to identify practice deficiencies, and that guidelines for antibiotic use be created.