| Acceptance rate | 46% |
|---|---|
| Time to first decision | 6 months* |
| Time to decision with review | 50 days* |
*Approximate number of days
**The days mentioned above are averages and do not indicate exact durations. The process may vary for each article.
ACTA Pharmaceutica Sciencia
2021 , Vol 59 , Num 4
Point Prevalence Survey of Antibiotic Prescribing in the Hospital Sector in Albania
1 Department of Chemical-Pharmaceutical and Biomolecular Technologies, Faculty of Pharmacy, Catholic University ?Our Lady of Good Counsel?, Tirana, Albania2 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel, Tirana, Albania
DOI : 10.23893/1307-2080.APS.05932 Viewed : 15756 - Downloaded : 3488 Antibiotic resistance represents a serious threat worldwide. The onset and spread of resistance is mostly related to irrational and increased use of antibiotics. The aim of this study was to evaluate antibiotic prescribing patterns and identify areas for quality improvement in the hospital sector in Albania. A Point Prevalence Survey study was conducted, at a University Hospital Centre in Tirana, Albania. On the day of the survey, 65.7% of the inpatients were on antibiotic treatment, mostly for medical prophylaxis (67.1%). The higher prevalence was found in Intensive Care Units (81.0%). The most commonly used antibiotics were the cephalosporins (53.1%) followed by metronidazole (16.2%) and fluoroquinolones (14.7%). High rates of antibiotic use were found in all wards, while some indicators related to prescribing patterns were critical. A close and continuous surveillance of the antibiotic use, along with measures at national level could contribute in improving a proper use of antibiotics. Keywords : prevalence survey, antibiotic use, Albania, antibiotic surveillance