Patna: Doctors associated with adverse drug reaction (ADR) monitoring centre of Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) have warned against indiscriminate use of antibiotics and painkillers and recommended judicious use of the drugs.

While antibiotics are drugs that are prescribed to treat bacterial infections, painkillers are used for ache relief. IGIMS is the first hospital in Bihar where an adverse drug reaction (ADR) monitoring centre was opened. Apart from IGIMS, the facility is only available at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-Patna.

The centre at IGIMS work on taking reports of adverse drug reactions from people and it further analyses the reports before sending them to the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), which runs under the Union ministry of health and family welfare.

IPC sets standards for all drugs that are manufactured, sold and consumed in the country. "Our ADR monitoring centre has received 150 ADR reports last year in which men were found to be more affected than women. The maximum ADR reported were because of painkillers followed by anti-microbial agents (which also include antibiotics), steroids and anti-fungal agents. This emphasises judicious use of the drugs by the society," said Harihar Dikshit head of the pharmacology department of IGIMS.

He added: "Allergic skin reaction such as rashes were the most common type of ADR followed by nausea, vomiting, dizziness and hyper-sensitivity reactions because of painkillers. Among the other ADR seen due to painkillers were thrombocytopenia (low-level of platelets in blood), Steven-Johnson syndrome (a skin disorder), anaemia, leucocytopenia (decrease in the number of white blood cells) and fits."

He expressed concern on the extensive use of antibiotics for various treatments.

"Indiscriminate and irrational use of antibiotics would lead us to an era in which you will not feel any effect of antibiotics in common problems such as cut injuries among others. Bacteria have started developing resistance from antibiotics. For example, earlier the antibiotic cephalosporin was found to be effective for pneumonia but now patients are developing resistance against the antibiotic. Even World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed concern. The quacks also use antibiotics extensively for patients in villages while doctors prescribe antibiotics in viral infections. Though antibiotics are not meant for particular viral disease treatment, it is being used by doctors to treat co-symptoms of the viral," said Dikshit.

Dikshit added though the department was able to know about the adverse drug reactions due to painkillers particularly because of people informing about them on its tollfree number (18001803024), he said the ADR reporting was very low in Bihar.

"Reporting of the ADR is important to ensure patients' safety in Bihar. Emphasis should be given to increase awareness among healthcare providers and patients to increase ADR reporting following the consumption of medicines," added Dikshit.