Treatment of Children with Pneumonia and Underlying Causes of Recurrent Pneumonia at a Paediatric Hospital in Abbottabad, Pakistan

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The current study aimed to examine the prescribed drugs, the underlying reasons of recurrent pneumonia in children, and the usage of over-the-counter (OTC) cough suppressants as a supplement to antibiotics for paediatric acute pneumonia. During the study period of one year, more than 420 cases were analyzed comprising 194 males (46.1%) and 226 females (53.8%). Eight drugs were prescribed from Essential Drug List (EDL), while 20 were not prescribed from EDL. The most common prescribed medication included ceftriaxone (inj) 280 times, followed by dexamethasone sodium phosphate 42 times. The most common OTC given was paracetamol 226 times followed by Ibuprofen 137 times. In 96.4% cases, nebulizer ventolin was used to control asthma. The current study identified immunodeficiency, aspiration, and structural abnormalities as significant factors for recurrent pneumonia. The analysis revealed frequent use of antibiotics and OTC medications for symptom management. Understanding these treatment patterns and the role of OTC cough medications as adjuncts to antibiotics may help optimize therapeutic strategies and improve clinical outcomes in pediatric pneumonia.