Clinical Evaluation of Drug-Related Problems among Out-Patients in a Community Health Facility of Pauri District, Garhwal Region, Uttarakhand

Background: Drug-related problems (DRPs) are common in outpatient healthcare settings and may negatively affect therapeutic outcomes, patient safety, and quality of life. Polypharmacy, inappropriate prescribing, drug interactions, and poor medication adherence are major contributors to DRPs, particularly among elderly patients and individuals with multiple co-morbidities. Aim: To clinically evaluate drug-related problems among out-patients attending a community health facility in Pauri District, Garhwal Region, Uttarakhand. Methodology: A retrospective, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted among 80 outpatient prescriptions collected from CHC Pokhra, RHTC Pokhra, and government hospitals of Pokhra block. Demographic profile, clinical characteristics, prescribing patterns, drug utilization, and DRPs were assessed using patient records and prescription data. Results: The majority of patients belonged to the 41–60 years age group (37.5%), with male predominance (56.25%). Hypertension (22.5%) and respiratory disorders (20%) were the most common disease conditions. A total of 310 drugs were prescribed, with an average of 3.9 drugs per prescription. Drug-related problems were identified in 42.5% of prescriptions. Drug-drug interactions (35.3%) were the most common DRPs, followed by inappropriate drug selection and polypharmacy. Antibiotics and NSAIDs were the drug classes most frequently associated with DRPs. Elderly patients, multiple co-morbidities, and polypharmacy were major risk factors associated with DRPs. Conclusion: The study demonstrated a considerable prevalence of DRPs among out-patients in rural healthcare settings. Rational prescribing, regular prescription review, patient counseling, and clinical pharmacist involvement are essential to improve medication safety and therapeutic outcomes.