Antibiotic Consumption Patterns in Iranian Teaching Hospitals Publisher Pubmed



Nabizadeh A ; Jahangard Rafsanjani Z ; Mohammadi S H ; Salehi M ; Khoz N ; Nosrati F ; Radfar A ; Altaf A ; Terry R F ; Satyanarayana S ; Farzami M ; Minaeian S ; Fofanah B D
Source: Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal Published:2026

Abstract

Background: There is a lack of national data on antibiotic consumption by teaching hospitals in Islamic Republic of Iran based on the WHO access, watch and reserve categorisation. Aim: To quantify antibiotic consumption by teaching hospitals in Islamic Republic of Iran. Methods: We analysed antibiotic consumption data for March 2023 to March 2024 across all 248 teaching hospitals in the 10 regions of Islamic Republic of Iran, using the WHO-defined daily dose methodology and the access, watch and reserve categorisation. Results: Median antibiotic consumption was 299 defined daily dose per 100 admissions per day. Hospitals in Region 10 had the highest overall consumption (24.3% of total consumption), while Region 7 showed the highest use of reserve group antibiotics. Across all hospitals and regions, watch antibiotics were the most used (61%), followed by access (37%) and reserve (2%). Ceftriaxone 1 g and cefazolin 1 g were the most frequently used (11% of total consumption each), followed by meropenem 1 g injection (8.8%) and vancomycin 0.5 g (7%). Conclusion: Our findings show high reliance on watch antibiotics, extensive cephalosporin use and prevalent parenteral formulations. There is a need to assess the appropriateness of antibiotic use in Iranian teaching hospitals in order to strengthen antibiotic stewardship. © Authors 2026.