The utilisation and expenditure of medicines for the prophylaxis and treatment of osteoporosis.
Ir Med J
; 101(2): 38-41, 2008 Feb.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-18450246
ABSTRACT
The elderly population represent the fastest growing age-group and the incidence of osteoporotic related fractures is likely to increase with continued ageing of the population. This study determined the prescribing patterns on the Health Services Executive's (HSE) Primary Care Reimbursement Services Scheme (HSE-PCRS) of medicines dispensed for the prophylaxis and treatment of osteoporosis in Ireland. The HSE - PCRS prescription databases were analysed for the years 2004/2005. Approximately 65% of patients (total 60,000) were dispensed either Alendronate (Fosamax once weekly) or Risedronate (Actonel once weekly). The majority of the patients (69.3%) were over 70 years. The study identified that the longer a patient was prescribed prednisolone the greater the likelihood of subsequently being prescribed a bisphosphonate. Approximately 50% of patients on long-term steroids did not receive prophylaxis for osteoporosis. There were low levels of co-prescribing (2.5%) with potentially interacting drugs. Levels of co-prescribing with proton pump inhibitors was 22%.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Osteoporosis
/
Drug Prescriptions
/
Practice Patterns, Physicians'
/
Drug Costs
/
Adrenal Cortex Hormones
/
Diphosphonates
/
Proton Pump Inhibitors
Type of study:
Health_economic_evaluation
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
En
Journal:
Ir Med J
Year:
2008
Type:
Article