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Audit of drug usage in a regional neonatal intensive care unit
Author(s) -
DANIELL A. J.,
DARLOW B. A.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1754.1989.tb01457.x
Subject(s) - medicine , neonatal intensive care unit , umbilical artery , audit , intensive care , pediatrics , drug , neonatology , emergency medicine , pregnancy , intensive care medicine , fetus , management , psychiatry , biology , economics , genetics
Drug utilization has been audited prospectively for all infants cared for in a regional neonatal intensive care unit for a 3‐month period. Twenty‐five infants had a birthweight less than 1500 g and 54 had a birthweight greater than 1500 g. The total number of different drugs used was 76 and the mean number received was 8.6 with a range of 0‐30. Infants with birthweights less than 1500 g received a mean of 14.5 drugs and infants with birthweights greater than 1500 g received a mean of 4.8 drugs. Almost two‐thirds (63%) of doses were given orally, 20% intravenously and 10% via an umbilical artery catheter. Three drugs, one of which was received by 13% of infants, carried manufacturers’inserts advising against use in premature infants or the newborn.