Prescription Pattern Evaluation and Standard Guidelines Adherence in Osteoarthritis Management: A Prospective Observational Study in Secondary Healthcare Settings
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59644/oaphhar.4(2).279Keywords:
Irrational Prescribing Practices, NSAIDs, Non-Pharmacological Interventions, Osteoarthritis, Prescription Evaluation, Standard OA GuidelinesAbstract
To evaluate prescriptions and highlight the pattern of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for management in osteoarthritis patients and clinicians' adherence to the updated international guidelines for management of osteoarthritis of knee, hips, and hand joints in the Secondary healthcare setting (private osteoarthritis clinic) in Lahore. A prospective observational cross-sectional study design was employed for 6 months from September 2025 to March 2026. Patients aged above 18 years, both male and female, with a confirmed diagnosis of osteoarthritis through X-ray were included in the study. Total of 300 patients prescriptions were evaluated and adherence was checked against the common guidelines mentioned in NICE (national institute of health and care excellence), OARSI (osteoarthritis research society international), ACR/AF ( American college of rheumatologist/ Arthritis Foundation ), ESCEO (European society for clinical and economic osteoarthritis) EULAR (European alliance of association for rheumatology) and AAOS( American academy of orthopedic surgeons).NSAIDs were prescribed 75% of the sample prescriptions, with the highest rate of diclofenac (23.5%) prescriptions, followed by the Selective COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib (21.1%) that suggest over prescription of NSAIDs. In contrast, non- pharmacological interventions were prescribed in only 37% prescriptions. Only in 32% prescriptions, a gastroprotective agent was co-administered with NSAID. The irrational prescribing patterns of NSAIDs and under-reliance on the non-pharmacological interventions clearly state non-adherence to the International standard guidelines. It can be improved through expanding the role of the clinical pharmacist for rationalizing prescriptions and improving patient safety, and by reinforcing clinicians to follow the guidelines and educate and counsel patients about lifestyle modifications to slow the progression of arthritis.
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