Prescribing Pattern of Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) in the Middle East Region: A Critical Review

Background: There exists a paucity of data on pharmacoepidemiologic and drug utilization patterns of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the Middle East region. Objective: The objective of this study was to provide a critical appraisal of the prescription patterns of NSAIDs in the Middle East region. Methods: A literature search was conducted on the electronic databases such as MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect for studies conducted on prescription pattern of NSAIDs using the keywords “Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs”, “NSAIDs”, “Non-opioid Analgesics”, “Antipyretics”, “Prescription Pattern”, “Drug Use indicators”, “Drug Utilization Pattern”, “Pharmacoepidemiology”. The search was conducted within 5 months, from January to May 2021. Results: Studies from twelve Middle Eastern countries were analyzed and critically discussed. The findings indicated widespread and clinically significant inappropriate prescribing in all Middle East countries and territories. Furthermore, NSAIDs prescription pattern in the region extensively varies with healthcare settings, patient’s age, patient’s medical presentation, history of comorbid conditions, insurance type, and prescribers’ specialization and years of experience, among several other factors. Conclusion: Low-quality prescribing based on indicators of the World Health Organization/ International Network of Rational Use of Drugs suggests the need to further improve the current drug utilization trend in the region.