The Outpatient Use of Ascorbic Acid in a Public Healthcare Organization in Riyadh Region

Aim: The present study aimed to describe the outpatient use of ascorbic acid in a public healthcare organization in Riyadh Region.

Methodology: This is a retrospective study included reviewing the outpatient electronic prescriptions that contained ascorbic acid in a public healthcare organization in Riyadh Region.

Results: More than 51% of the patients who received ascorbic acid in the hospital during 2018 were females and the age of 57.14 % of them was less than 30 years. Most of the prescriptions were regular prescriptions (88.57%) and only 5.71% of the prescriptions were urgent prescriptions. More than 42% of the patients received ascorbic acid for 1 week and 37.14% of them received it for 1 month. Most of the prescriptions were prescribed by residents (85.71%) and most of these prescriptions were prescribed by emergency department (80.00%).

Conclusion: The prescribing of ascorbic acid was uncommon in the public hospital. More studies are needed to know the frequency and the pattern of using ascorbic acid in the public hospital and in other healthcare organizations in Riyadh Region.