Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Prescription pattern of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) among community patients with musculoskeletal and co-morbid conditions: A cross-sectional study from an Iraqi province

Anmar Al-Taie¹ , Ali N Hussein², Zahraa Albasry³

¹Pharmacy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Girne American University, 99428 Kyrenia, North Cyprus, Mersin 10, Turkey; ²Pharmacy Department, University College; ³Clinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, Mustansiriya University, Baghdad, Iraq.

For correspondence:- Anmar Al-Taie Email: anamraltaie@gau.edu.tr

Accepted: 19 December 2020 Published: 31 January 2021

Citation: Al-Taie A, Hussein AN, Albasry Z. Prescription pattern of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) among community patients with musculoskeletal and co-morbid conditions: A cross-sectional study from an Iraqi province. Trop J Pharm Res 2021; 20(1):203-210 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v20i1.29

© 2021 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To determine the pattern of prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) co-prescription with NSAIDs in a sample of patients suffering from musculoskeletal disorders with and without co-morbid cardiovascular (CV) disease conditions in Baghdad Province, Iraq.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire to assess the clinical characteristics of patients that used NSAIDs alone or with PPIs for the treatment of different musculoskeletal disorders with and without co-morbid cardiovascular (CV) disease conditions.

Results: A total of 102 participants were enrolled in the study. More than half of the participants had co-morbid disease conditions (53.9 %), particularly hypertension (47.1 %). Nearly a quarter of the participants with CV disease conditions used non-selective NSAIDs (25.5 %). The majority of NSAIDs intake were orally administered for more than one month (79.4 %). Physicians were the major source for patient education about the risk of NSAIDs-associated complications according to 59.6 % of the participants. The majority of participants reported non-adherence to the prescribed PPIs (86.5 %). There was a statistically significant difference between the participants that used NSAIDs alone, and those with PPI co-prescription within the age group of 31 - 60 years (p < 0.0001) and for a duration of more than one month for NSAIDs administration (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion: There is improper use of NSAIDs, particularly the non-selective agents, among patients with co-morbid cardiovascular disease conditions, as well as poor medication adherence and improper co-prescription of PPIs. This requires periodic revision for long-term intake of NSAIDs, while applying more care to high-risk patients regarding co-prescription of NSAIDs with PPIs.

Keywords: Cardiovascular, Co-morbidity, Gastrointestinal complications, NSAIDs, Proton-pump inhibitors