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Drug utilization research (DUR) provides the important community data with regards to the pattern of drug use prevalent in the society, identify irrational prescription, indicate overuse, underuse of drugs and their cost effectiveness. A number of indicators have been developed, standardized and evaluated by the World Health Organization (WHO) to evaluate rational use of drugs. These indicators are grouped into three categories namely: prescribing indicators, patient care indicators and facility indicators. The study was aimed to evaluate rational drug use based on WHO-core drug use indicators in tertiary care hospital in post-operative patients. Average number of drugs per prescription was 5.99, Percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name were 50%, Percentage of encounters in which an antibiotic was prescribed was 100%, Percentage of encounters with an injectable were 92.45%, Percentage of drugs prescribed from WHO Essential Medicine List were (EML) 54%. These indicator of antimicrobials per prescription met the WHO optimal use recommendations but prescription of generic drugs and prescription from essential medicine list were found to be lower than the WHO recommendations. Use of Generic medicines and drugs from essential medicine list should be promoted. Government and hospitals should workup to enhance rational use of drugs.

Drug Utilization Research (DUR) studies are emerging as new tool to keep eyes on irrational prescribing, proper cost utilization, antimicrobial resistance pattern.The present study was planned to evaluate the Daily Defined Dose (DDD), DDD per 100 bed days and Prescribed Daily Dose (PDD) of antimicrobials in post-operative patients using World Health Organization (WHO) / International Network of Rational use of Drugs (INURD) indicators. These indicators give insight of over and under prescription of drug. This was a retrospective observational study conducted in post-operative patients admitted in department of surgery at a tertiary care hospital. Prescribed drugs were classified according to the International Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System (ATC). Prescriptions of 305 post-operative patients admitted in surgery ward were assessed.Total of 16 antimicrobials prescribed from 7 different classes, 12 (75%) were overprescribed, 2 (12.5%) were adequately prescribed and 2 (12.5%) were under prescribed as per the WHO Daily Defined Dose.All beta lactams were prescribed higher than recommended WHO DDD. Cefuroxime was highest (3 folds) overprescribed antimicrobial. Over and under prescription both lead to resistance. DUR studies on regular intervals will help curb the irrational practice and implementation of health policies.