caa a22 4500 475818830 CHVBK 20180406123816.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170329e20000801xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s002280000140 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s002280000140 Differences in the potencies of inhaled steroids are not reflected in the doses prescribed in primary care in New Zealand [Elektronische Daten] [P. N. Black, B. J. Lawrence, K. H. Goh, M. S. Barry] Objective: To determine whether the average doses of inhaled beclomethasone, fluticasone and budesonide prescribed in primary care reflect the relative potencies of these medicines. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 95,540 prescriptions for inhaled steroids written by 293 general practitioners in Auckland, New Zealand, between November 1995 and June 1998. In addition, 177 general practitioners were presented with two case histories describing patients with uncontrolled asthma who were not on treatment with inhaled steroids. They were asked which medicine they would prescribe and in what dose. Results: The average daily doses prescribed were 600 μg for fluticasone, 747 μg for beclomethasone and 1184 μg for budesonide. The average dose of fluticasone was 80% of that for beclomethasone. In May 1997, when 4.5% of the prescriptions for inhaled steroids were for fluticasone, the average doses of fluticasone and beclomethasone were 632 μg and 760 μg, respectively. By May 1998, when 23% of prescriptions were for fluticasone, the average doses of fluticasone and beclomethasone were little changed at 610 μg and 726 μg, respectively. In response to the two case histories, the average doses of fluticasone chosen were 71% and 77% of the doses of beclomethasone. Conclusions: The average prescribed dose of fluticasone was 80% of that for beclomethasone, even though fluticasone is at least twice as potent as beclomethasone. Similar findings were observed when the general practitioners responded to the case histories. The high doses of fluticasone prescribed may be due to a failure to appreciate that fluticasone is twice as potent as beclomethasone and to the availability of high strength preparations of fluticasone, i.e. 250 μg per actuation. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2000 Key words Inhaled corticosteroids nationallicence Potency nationallicence Prescription analysis nationallicence Black P. N. Department of Medicine, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand e-mail: pn.black@auckland.ac.nz Tel.: +64-9-3797440; Fax: +64-9-3022101, NZ aut Lawrence B. J. Department of Medicine, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand e-mail: pn.black@auckland.ac.nz Tel.: +64-9-3797440; Fax: +64-9-3022101, NZ aut Goh K. H. ProCare Health Ltd, PO Box 105 346, Auckland, New Zealand, NZ aut Barry M. S. ProCare Health Ltd, PO Box 105 346, Auckland, New Zealand, NZ aut https://doi.org/10.1007/s002280000140 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s002280000140 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Black P. N. Department of Medicine, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand e-mail: pn.black@auckland.ac.nz Tel.: +64-9-3797440; Fax: +64-9-3022101, NZ aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Lawrence B. J. Department of Medicine, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand e-mail: pn.black@auckland.ac.nz Tel.: +64-9-3797440; Fax: +64-9-3022101, NZ aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Goh K. H. ProCare Health Ltd, PO Box 105 346, Auckland, New Zealand, NZ aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Barry M. S. ProCare Health Ltd, PO Box 105 346, Auckland, New Zealand, NZ aut Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer