Description
IntroductionThe consumption of antibiotics for human use has increased drastically in recent years, causing antimicrobial resistance to be recognised as “one of the worst global health issues”1,2. The release of antibiotics into the environment from household, hospital and industrial wastewaters leads to serious effects on human and animalhealth3. Antibiotics for human use is higher in Northern Ireland than the rest of the UK, being 30% higher than in England4. However, there is a lack of information as to the prescribing patterns in the overall use of antibiotics in primary care and whether this is significant in terms of antimicrobial resistance. Research is limited regarding antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Northern Ireland. Additionally, the effects
of COVID-19 on antimicrobial prescribing patterns and AMR are unknown. Between the European Union and United States, AMR causes approximately 68,000 deaths annually.
Aim
This project aims to determine antibiotic prescribing patterns in Northern Ireland with a view to the link with antimicrobial resistance
Methods
An electronic survey was developed and distributed to eighty-five community pharmacists in Belfast. Yearly and monthly prescription data was gathered from the Business Services Organisation and COVID-19 statisticsfrom Gov.uk5. All data was analysed on Microsoft Office Excel® to produce graphical information and statistical tests were performed using IBM® SPSS® Statistics 25.
Results
The overall response rate for the survey was 46%. The most common indication for antibiotics was upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). Overprescribing of antibiotics was perceived as the leading cause of AMR, therefore 69% of pharmacists indicated increased General Practitioner (GP) compliance with guidelines would reduce AMR. A reduction was seen in all antibiotic use between July 2019 to July 2020. Pharmacists are in an ideal position to reduce AMR through patient education. All GP practices demonstrated inappropriate antibiotic use, especially for URTIs which suggests antibiotic appropriateness should be reviewed. Many patients avoided contact with GP’s during COVID-19 which may have resulted in reduced antibiotic use. This research established
amoxicillin as the most commonly prescribed antibiotic, which is contributing to increased AMR with its broad spectrum activity and has recognised a decrease in antibiotic prescribing during COVID-19.
Conclusion
Based on the results found and a critical review of the literature, it was recommended that antimicrobial guidelines should be reviewed and improved, enhanced training should be provided to pharmacists and the antibiotic
guardian campaign should be reenergised.
References
1. World Health Organisation (2014). Antimicrobial Resistance, Global Report on Surveillance.
2. Berendonk TU et al., (2015) Nature Reviews Microbiology 13, 310–317 (2015)
3. Bush, K. et al. Tackling antibiotic resistance. Nature Rev. Microbiol. 9, 894–896 (2011).
4. BBC News, ‘Antibiotic drug use in NI ’highest in UK’, 20 October 2017. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uknorthern-ireland-41689295
5. http://www.hscbusiness.hscni.net/services/2163.ht
| Period | 7 Nov 2023 |
|---|---|
| Event title | 10th All Ireland Pharmacy Healthcare conference |
| Event type | Conference |
| Conference number | 160 |
| Location | Dundalk, IrelandShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | National |