Table 7.
Frequency ranking of antibiotics prescribed for inpatients at five regional hospitals in Limpopo Province
| Position | Antibiotic agent | Prescribing frequency | % | AWaRe classification | ATC classification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Metronidazole | 91 | 21.9 | Access | Imidazoles |
| 2 | Ceftriaxone | 86 | 20.7 | Watch | 3GCs |
| 3 | Amoxicillin with an enzyme inhibitor | 77 | 18.5 | Access | Beta-lactam combination penicillin |
| 4 | Ampicillin | 53 | 12.7 | Access | Extended-spectrum penicillins |
| 5 | Gentamycin | 30 | 7.2 | Access | Aminoglycosides |
| 6 | Sulphamethoxazole-Trimethoprim | 19 | 4.6 | Access | Sulphonamide-trimethoprim combination |
| 7 | Azithromycin | 18 | 4.3 | Watch | Macrolides |
| 8 | Cloxacillin | 13 | 3.1 | Access | Extended-spectrum penicillins |
| 9 | Meropenem | 11 | 2.6 | Watch | Carbapenems |
| 10 | Amikacin | 4 | 1.0 | Access | Aminoglycosides |
| 11 | Amoxicillin | 4 | 1.0 | Access | Extended-spectrum penicillins |
| 12 | Vancomycin | 3 | 0.7 | Watch | Glycopeptides |
| 13 | Piperacillin with an enzyme inhibitor | 2 | 0.5 | Watch | Beta-lactam combination penicillin |
| 14 | Ciprofloxacin | 1 | 0.2 | Watch | Fluoroquinolones |
| 15 | Ertapenem | 1 | 0.2 | Watch | Carbapenems |
| 16 | Imipenem | 1 | 0.2 | Watch | Carbapenems |
| 17 | Linezolid | 1 | 0.2 | Reserve | Oxazolidinones |
| 18 | Phenoxymethylpenicillin | 1 | 0.2 | Access | Beta-lactamase sensitive penicillins |
| Total | 416 | 100.0 |
3GC third-generation cephalosporin, ATC Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical, AWaRe Access Watch Reserve