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ISSUE 4 OCTOBER
Top 10 drugs

Top 10 drugs

Table 1

Top 10 drugs by defined daily dose/thousand population/day - 1996
Drug PBS/RPBS Guild survey Total community use
1. salbutamol 23.142 7.245 30.387
2. frusemide 20.938 2.382 23.320
3. enalapril 22.591 0.008 22.599
4. simvastatin 16.131 0.002 16.133
5. ranitidine 15.420 0.039 15.459
6. budesonide 15.089 0.041 15.130
7. ipratropium bromide 13.680 0.011 13.691
8. hydrochlorothiazide with amiloride 9.496 3.448 12.944
9. felodipine 12.317 0.116 12.433
10. beclomethasone dipropionate 11.009 0.482 11.491

Changes from 1995 data:

In: beclomethasone dipropionate Up: simvastatin, ipratropium

Out: captopril Down: ranitidine, hydrochlorothiazide with amiloride, felodipine

Table 2

Top 10 drugs by prescription counts - 1996

Drug PBS/RPBS Guild survey Total community use
1. amoxycillin 2,799,138 2,718,299 5,517,437
2. paracetamol 4,678,754 96,641 4,775,395
3. salbutamol 3,582,705 1,031,126 4,613,831
4. codeine with paracetamol 2,924,221 1,038,697 3,962,918
5. simvastatin 3,419,079 1,276 3,420,355
6. ranitidine 3,328,787 16,920 3,345,707
7. temazepam 2,649,126 644,470 3,293,596
8. enalapril 3,283,814 2,193 3,286,007
9. atenolol 2,024,576 901,579 2,926,155
10. cefaclor 1,385,540 1,423,866 2,809,406

Changes from 1995 data:

In: cefaclor Up: simvastatin, ranitidine, temazepam

Out: amoxycillin with clavulanic acid Down: enalapril

Table 3

Top 10 drugs by cost to government - 1996

Drug PBS/RPBS
DDD/1000/day		 PBS/RPBS
scripts		 Cost to government ($A)
1. simvastatin

16.131

 3,419,079 149,201,835

2. omeprazole

7.350 1,439,110 130,076,924

3. ranitidine

15.420 3,328,787 92,573,429

4. enalapril

22.591 3,283,814 83,022,324

5. ipratropium bromide

 13.680 1,233,155 62,339,847

6. captopril

11.067 1,205,662 55,408,789
7. salbutamol

23.142

3,582,705 48,273,078

8. famotidine

7.231 1,550,836 41,756,235
9. amlodipine 11.468 1,781,587 40,757,455
10. budesonide 15.089 1,216,425 39,438,050

Changes from 1995 data:

In: amlodipine, famotidine Up: ipratropium bromide

Out: fluoxetine, felodipine Down: captopril