Table 1
Table 1 shows the top 10 drugs dispensed in the Australian community by DDDs/1000 population/day, which adjusts for the quantity dispensed per prescription. This DDD/1000/day information is presented both as a total and split between subsidised (PBS/RPBS) and non-subsidised (Guild survey) use.
| Top 10 drugs by defined daily dose/thousand population/day 1994
|
| Drug
|
PBS/RPBS
|
Guild survey
|
Total community use
|
| 1. salbutamol
|
22.319
|
6.800
|
29.122
|
| 2. frusemide
|
20.385
|
2.246
|
22.631
|
| 3. enalapril*
|
20.577
|
0.006
|
20.583
|
| 4. ranitidine
|
13.773
|
0.066
|
13.839
|
| 5. felodipine*
|
12.043
|
0.028
|
12.071
|
| 6. budesonide
|
11.891
|
0.003
|
11.894
|
| 7. captopril
|
11.692
|
0.004
|
11.696
|
| 8. oestrogens conjugated
|
5.157
|
6.168
|
11.325
|
| 9. beclomethasone dipropionate
|
10.784
|
0.101
|
10.885
|
| 10. medroxyprogesterone
|
6.019
|
4.819
|
10.838
|
* Recent change in DDD
The changes in the composition and order within the top 10 using DDDs/1000/day, when compared with the 1993 figures, are: In - felodipine Out - naproxen Up - enalapril, ranitidine Down - captopril, budesonide, beclomethasone dipropionate, medroxyprogesterone
Table 2
Table 2 shows the top 10 drugs dispensed in the Australian community ranked by prescription count.
|
Top 10 drugs by prescription counts 1994
|
| Drug
|
PBS/RPBS
|
Guild survey
|
Total community use
|
| 1. amoxycillin
|
2,845,799
|
3,019,577
|
5,865,376
|
| 2. salbutamol
|
3,438,948
|
959,627
|
4,398,575
|
| 3. paracetamol
|
4,042,895
|
94,130
|
4,137,025
|
| 4. codeine with paracetamol
|
2,553,630
|
1,101,783
|
3,655,413
|
| 5. amoxycillin with clavulanic acid
|
2,522,844
|
893,419
|
3,416,263
|
| 6. enalapril
|
3,124,673
|
2,294
|
3,126,967
|
| 7. temazepam
|
2,452,930
|
579,285
|
3,032,215
|
| 8. ranitidine
|
2,948,808
|
19,877
|
2,968,685
|
| 9. betamethasone
|
1,743,169
|
1,048,148
|
2,791,317
|
| 10. doxycycline
|
1,297,904
|
1,458,273
|
2,756,177
|
In ranitidine Out atenolol Up betamethasone Down doxycycline
Table 3
Table 3 ranks the top 10 drugs by cost to government i.e. subsidised prescriptions only.
|
Top 10 drugs by cost to government 1994
|
| Drug
|
PBS/RPBS
DDD/1000/day
|
PBS/RPBS scripts
|
Cost to government ($A)
|
| 1. simvastatin
|
8.905
|
2,065,577
|
94,975,884
|
| 2. ranitidine
|
13.773
|
2,948,808
|
82,319,267
|
| 3. enalapril
|
20.577
|
3,124,673
|
77,259,136
|
| 4. captopril
|
11.692
|
1,313,354
|
58,678,853
|
| 5. omeprazole
|
2.853
|
597,389
|
55,982,711
|
| 6. ipratropium bromide
|
9.603
|
1,054,801
|
45,062,136
|
| 7. salbutamol
|
22.319
|
3,438,948
|
43,340,356
|
| 8. fluoxetine
|
3.202
|
640,723
|
34,728,186
|
| 9. felodipine
|
12.043
|
1,721,090
|
34,376,463
|
| 10.budesonide
|
11.891
|
1,056,225
|
31,908,565
|
In - omeprazole, fluoxetine Out - glyceryl trinitrate, beclomethasone dipropionate Up - ranitidine Down - enalapril, salbutamol, felodipine, budesonide
