Background: Antibiotic prescribing patterns in hospitalized patients are of increasing global concern due to rising antimicrobial resistance, irrational use, and associated adverse outcomes. Evidence suggests that 20–50% of antimicrobial prescriptions worldwide are inappropriate, contributing significantly to resistance and prolonged hospital stay. Evaluating antibiotic utilization patterns in tertiary care hospitals is essential to promote rational prescribing and strengthen antimicrobial stewardship programs.

Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted over a period of six months in a tertiary care hospital. A total of 150 inpatients receiving antibiotic therapy were randomly enrolled based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data on demographic characteristics, principal diagnosis, duration of hospital stay, and antibiotic utilization patterns were collected and analysed. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data. The chi-square test was applied to assess associations between categorical variables, and a p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Among the 150 patients, males constituted 52.7% and females 47.3%. A total of 175 antibiotics were prescribed, with third-generation cephalosporins being the most frequently utilized class (59.42%). Infectious diseases were the leading indication for antibiotic therapy (30.67%). A statistically significant association was observed between principal diagnosis and duration of hospital stay (p <0.05). Intravenous administration was the predominant route (95.43%). Monotherapy was significantly more common than combination therapy (p <0.001).

Conclusion: The study highlights a predominant use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, particularly third-generation cephalosporins, in hospitalized patients. These findings underscore the urgent need for robust antimicrobial stewardship interventions aimed at optimizing antibiotic selection, minimizing unnecessary broad-spectrum use, and reducing the risk of antimicrobial resistance.

KEYWORDS: Antibiotics, Antimicrobials, Prescribing Pattern, Antimicrobial Resistance, Antimicrobial Stewardship.