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DRUG USE IN THE NEWBORN
Author(s) -
Rylance G. W.,
Moreland T. A.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.622
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1365-2710
pISSN - 0269-4727
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2710.1979.tb00144.x
Subject(s) - drug , medicine , intensive care medicine , pharmacology
Summary Over a 2‐year period in Dundee City hospitals, 16.5% of babies in the specical care baby unit (SCBU) received drugs, being given a mean number of 2.2 drugs each, compared with 2.3% of maternity ward babies who received a mean of 1.2 drugs each. In the SCBU, 26.5% of ‘low birth weight’ (< 2,500 g) babies and 32.1% of pre‐term (< 37 weeks) babies received drugs, as compared with 11.9% of ‘normal weight’ ( 2,500 g) babies, and 11.0% of term ( 37 weeks) babies. There was no apparent relationship between the mean number of drugs received by babies and their birth weight or gestational age. Antimicrobials were the most frequently prescribed drugs, and of the others, calcium gluconate was used most commonly.