The Prescribing of Calamine Lotion in Alkharj
Nehad J. Ahmed *
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia.
Menshawy A. Menshawy
Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: This study aimed to describe the prescribing pattern of calamine lotion in a public hospital in Alkharj.
Methodology: This retrospective study included the electronic prescriptions of outpatients in a public hospital in Al-kharj and aimed to describe the prescribing pattern of calamine lotion. The collected data included the personal data of the patients, the number of calamine lotion prescriptions in different months, the duration of calamine lotion, the level of prescribers, and the prescribing’ departments.
Results: Most of the patients who used calamine lotion were male patients (62.12%) and most of them were less than 10 years old (72.73%). Most of the patients used calamine for 7 days (63.64%) and about15.15% of them used it for 5 days. All of the prescribers were residents (100.00%). Most of the calamine prescriptions were prescribed by emergency department (98.48%).
Conclusion: Calamine lotion prescribing was uncommon in the outpatient setting in Al-kharj. More studies are needed to explore the frequency of prescribing of calamine lotion in other setting, and to explore the frequency of prescribing other alternative agents.
Keywords: Calamine, outpatient, prescribing, zinc oxide