Prescription of hypnotics in hospitalized adult patients

Abstract

Self-medication and incorrect prescription have promoted the irrational use of a wide variety of drugs, including hypnotics. A prospective, descriptive and cross-sectional observational investigation was carried out in which patients over 18 years of age who had been prescribed a hypnotic during their hospitalization at the Centro Médico Docente La Trinidad, between July and September 2023 were included. Up to 30 medical records in patients with said prescription were studied and there was a form for collecting the data. The statistical treatment was carried out with Microsoft Excel 2016. The average age was 60.10 ±13.77 years, with females predominating by 56.67%. General surgery was the medical service with the highest number of prescriptions at 29.08% and high blood pressure, the most reported comorbidity with 37.14%. Alprazolam stood out as the most prescribed hypnotic sedative with 45%, with the most frequent type of insomnia being conciliatory with 46.67%. Of the patients with previous use of hypnotics, it was found that alprazolam was the most used with 45.45%, with the most frequent reason for consumption being “insomnia” in 57.14% of prescriptions. However, inappropriate prescription of alprazolam and clonazepam is evident in 56.67% and 30% respectively. The services with the highest proportion of inappropriate indications were general surgery at 29.03% and traumatology at 25.91%. It is concluded that there is a significant proportion of hypnotics in hospitalization that must be addressed to reduce the risks of adverse effects, dependence and costs that this represents for the institution.