Table 2.
Drugs dispensed to customers seeking health care for acute respiratory illness from the selected pharmacies in Dhaka city, Bangladesh, from August to November 2012
| Dispensed drugs | Total drugs (n=722), % |
Customers (n=302), % |
|---|---|---|
| Paracetamol | 32 | 76 |
| Non-sedating antihistamine | 23 | 56 |
| Cough expectorants | 6 | 15 |
| Sedating antihistamine | 5 | 13 |
| Bronchodilator | 4 | 8 |
| Ulcer healing drugs | 3 | 8 |
| Herbal cough syrup | 3 | 7 |
| Prophylactic to bronchial asthma | 2 | 5 |
| Cough suppressants | 1 | 2 |
| Nasal decongestant | 1 | 2 |
| Steroid (oral) | 0.3 | 0.7 |
| Others | 3 | 6 |
| Antibiotics (n=126) | 18 | 42 |
| Azithromycin | 37 | |
| Amoxicillin | 20 | |
| Ciprofloxacin | 19 | |
| Cefradine | 10 | |
| Levofloxacin | 5 | |
| Cefixime | 5 | |
| Other antibiotics | 4 |
Notes: Cough expectorant: bromhexine HCl, ambroxol HCl, and pseudoephedrine with guaifenesin; cough suppressant: dextromethorphan HBr with pseudoephedrine; and antivirals (n=0).
Abbreviations: HCl, hydrochloride; HBr, hydrobromide.