Avicenna Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Background: Gastritis is a common gastrointestinal disorder and a frequent cause of outpatient visits. In routine clinical practice, its pharmacological management often involves combination therapy, which may substantially influence medication costs. However, real-world evidence integrating prescribing patterns and direct medication costs among gastritis outpatients in Indonesian tertiary hospitals remains limited.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at RSUD Prof. Dr. Margono Soekarjo, a tertiary referral hospital in Central Java, Indonesia. Data were collected from outpatient medical records and pharmacy databases from January to December 2025. All outpatients of any age who were diagnosed with gastritis (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes K29.5 and K29.7) and who received pharmacological treatment were included. Prescribing patterns were described according to medication type, therapeutic class, and prescription regimen. Direct medication costs per prescription were analyzed and presented as mean ± standard deviation and median with interquartile range (IQR).

Results: A total of 313 gastritis outpatients were included. Most patients were women (64.5%), with a mean age of 47.5 ± 15.4 years. Combination therapy was frequently prescribed: 62.9% of patients received two medications, and 34.2% received three or more medications per prescription. The most commonly prescribed drug was the antispasmodic–anxiolytic combination, chlordiazepoxide–clidinium (73.5%). Proton pump inhibitors were prescribed more frequently than H2 receptor antagonists, with lansoprazole being the most commonly used acid-suppressive agent. The mean direct medication cost per prescription was IDR 26,453 ± 7,623, with a median cost of IDR 27,130 (IQR: 21,800–36,730). Medication costs increased consistently with the number of prescribed drugs.