Abstract
For a benefit analysis of drug utilization data little reliable information is available. Benefit criteria have to be established for individual classes of drugs as well as for various types of diseases submitted to drug treatment. Antihypertensive therapy is taken as an example of how drug preferences vary from country to country and how prescribing patterns are affected by the appearance of new drugs. In the Federal Republic of Germany, fixed-ratio combinations of reserpine and diuretics are still the leading group of drugs in this field, whereas they have virtually disappeared in Great Britain and Sweden. In the latter two countries, beta-blockers are the most widely prescribed antihypertensives, and also in Germany they rank quite high in sales, but less so in the number of prescriptions. Extreme differences are found in the utilization of cardiac glycosides between Germany and Great Britain, but little is known about the consequences of risk/benefit analyses of either over- or underprescribing of these drugs. It is highly recommended to make further efforts in analyzing drug utilization data and developing studies in drug epidemiology.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.