Effect of symptomatic treatment given to patients diagnosed with upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) in emergency department to prescription drug use

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of treatment in the emergency department on the purchase behavior of prescribed medicines in patients with an emergency upper respiratory tract infection with a diagnosis of respiratory tract infection.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was performed on patients who were admitted to the emergency department clinic of Atatürk University in March 2016 and who were discharged with the diagnose of upper respiratuary infection (URI). 1104 patients were included in the study. Using the pharmacy medulla system of the Turkish Social Security Institution, cases of patients taking prescriptions written to them were recorded. Data entry and statistical analysis were performed using SPSS statistical data program.
Results: A total of 1104 patients were examined, of which 553 were had therapy (50,09%), 543 (49,18%) were not have and 8 patients (0.72%) were identified as missing data. It was determined that 336 (60,75%) of the intervention patients received the prescription written by them and 207 (37,43%) did not.
Conclusion: Patients who are discharged by the diagnosis of URI from the emergency service do not receive prescriptions that will help their actual treatment if they receive any interventional therapy when they arrive.