Outpatient Doxycycline Therapy: Frequency of Its Use and Its Prescribing Patterns in a Public Hospital

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to identify the outpatient doxycycline therapy: Frequency of its use and its prescribing patterns in a public hospital. Methodology: This was a retrospective study which was conducted in a public hospital in Alkharj City in 2018. The outpatient prescriptions were reviewed to evaluate the prescription patterns of Doxycycline. Results: The study results found that about 48.38% of the patients were female and about 62.90% were from Saudi Arabia. Doxycycline was prescribed mainly by resident physicians. Doxycycline was prescribed mainly in the emergency department followed by obstetrics & gynecology department. Conclusion: Doxycycline was prescribed infrequently in the outpatient settings; it is reserved only for specific conditions. It is important to use antibiotics wisely by the patients and to prescribe and dispense antibiotics including doxycycline appropriately by health care professionals.