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A study found only 16 per cent of the 352 082 Australians who filled a prescription for asthma preventer medications for the first time during the period July 2004 to June 2005, went on to use them regularly.
Most (61 per cent) 'first time' users did
not fill another prescription in the next two years while 22 per cent
did so sporadically.
The study was conducted by the Australian
Centre for Asthma Monitoring, a collaborating unit of the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare based at the University's Woolcock
Institute of Medical Research in Sydney. It analysed the anonymous
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) records of individuals who filled
a prescription for preventer medications for asthma for the first time
between July 2004 and June 2005, and their subsequent prescription
activity over a period of two years. The most commonly used form of
preventer medication is inhaled corticosteroids.
Professor Guy
Marks, Head of Epidemiology Research at the Woolcock Institute, said
the results indicated that the prevalence of one-time and sporadic use
was highest in young adults (age 15-34 years) with regular use most
common in adults aged 65 years and over.
"The PBS dataset is a valuable tool for assessing patterns of asthma medication use," he said.
"Importantly
this study shows that while guidelines recommend regular use of
preventer medication, this certainly isn't happening in the community.
At least some of those people who are now using preventer medication
sporadically, could be expected to benefit from regular use of this
class of medications.
The results of the study will be presented at
the upcoming Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ)
Conference being held in Melbourne from March 30 to April 2. Professor
Marks will present the abstract titled Patterns of Asthma Medication
Use: An Australian Population-Based Longitudinal Cohort Study on the
afternoon of Monday 31 March.
Editor's Note:
Original news release can be found here.
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