Drug Treatment of Patients with Liver Cirrhosis in a Tertiary Hospital in Northern Ghana: Does It Comply with Recommended Guidelines?
Table 3
Top ten classes of medicines prescribed for patients with liver cirrhosis ().
Therapeutic class
Dose range
(%)
NP (%)
Antibacterial agents
345 (19.2)
Metronidazole
400–500 mg tds
156 (45.2)
119 (78.3)
Ciprofloxacin
400–500 mg bd
97 (28.1)
77 (50.7)
Ceftriaxone
1–2 g od/bd
92 (26.7)
80 (52.6)
Diuretics
338 (18.8)
Furosemide
40–80 mg bd/tds
196 (58.0)
126 (82.9)
Spironolactone
50–200 mg od/bd
134 (39.6)
116 (76.3)
Metolazone
5–10 mg od
8 (2.4)
8 (5.3)
Glucose agents
217 (12.1)
Glucose powder
100 g qid
89 (41.0)
89 (58.6)
Dextrose 10%
1–2 L/day
50 (23.0)
48 (31.6)
Dex. 5%/saline 0.9%
1–2 L/day
43 (19.8)
42 (27.6)
Dextrose 5%
1–2 L/day
35 (16.1)
34 (22.4)
Analgesics
197 (11.0)
Tramadol
50–100 mg bd/tds
114 (57.9)
103 (67.8)
Paracetamol
1 g bd/tds/qid
66 (33.5)
58 (38.2)
Morphine
5–10 mg bd/tds
12 (6.1)
12 (7.9)
Pethidine
50–100 mg bd/tds
5 (2.5)
5 (3.3)
Vit. supplements
196 (10.9)
Vitamin B complex
1 tab tds
69 (35.2)
44 (29.0)
Multivitamin
1 tab tds
58 (29.6)
56 (36.8)
Pabrinex
1–2 vial bd/tds
36 (18.4)
36 (23.7)
Vitamin K
10 mg od
19 (9.7)
17 (11.2)
Hepatovit
1 tab od
14 (7.1)
14 (9.2)
Anti-acid agents
134 (7.5)
Omeprazole
20–40 mg od/bd
114 (85.1)
94 (61.8)
Antacids
15 ml tds
20 (14.9)
20 (13.2)
Laxatives
131 (7.3)
Lactulose
5–15 ml tds
131 (100)
123 (80.9)
Hematinics
90 (5.0)
Folic acid
1 tab od
34 (37.8)
30 (19.7)
Ferrous sulphate
1 tab od
33 (36.7)
29 (19.1)
Tothema
1vial od/bd
19 (21.1)
19 (12.5)
Iron dextran
1–2 vial/day
4 (4.4)
4 (2.6)
Blood products
82 (4.6)
Albumin
2–3 unit/day
30 (36.6)
30 (19.7)
Packed red cells
2–3 unit/day
22 (26.8)
22 (14.5)
Whole blood
2–3 unit/day
19 (23.2)
19 (12.5)
Fresh frozen plasma
2–3 unit/day
11 (13.4)
11 (7.2)
Beta-blockers
66 (3.7)
Propranolol
40 mg od/bd
66 (100)
66 (43.4)
: total number of prescriptions made; : number of prescriptions; NP: number of patients who received prescriptions; od: every 24 hourly; bd: 12 hourly; tds: 8 hourly; qid: 6 hourly.
