Table 1

Top 10 drugs by defined daily dose/thousand population/day - 1997

Drug PBS/RPBS Guild survey Total community use
1. salbutamol 22.879 6.656 29.535
2. frusemide 20.481 2.164 22.645
3. enalapril 22.013 0.019 22.032
4. simvastatin 20.506 0.019 20.525
5. ranitidine 15.324 0.051 15.375
6. ipratropium bromide 14.865 0.027 14.892
7. amlodipine 14.834 0.005 14.839
8. budesonide 14.714 0.054 14.768
9. felodipine 11.588 0.111 11.699
10. hydrochlorothiazide with amiloride 8.578 3.068 11.646

Changes from 1996 data:

In: amlodipine (11 --> 7) Up: ipratropium (7 --> 6)

Out: beclomethasone (10 --> 14) Down: budesonide (6 --> 8), hydrochlorothiazide with amiloride (8 --> 10)

Table 2

Top 10 drugs by prescription counts 1997

Drug PBS/RPBS Guild survey Total community use
1. amoxycillin 2,606,250 2,499,733 5,105,983
2. paracetamol 4,652,760 110,411 4,763,171
3. salbutamol 3,620,938 967,501 4,588,439
4. simvastatin 4,138,148 4,079 4,142,227
5. codeine 30mg with paracetamol 2,925,566 1,055,121 3,980,687
6. ranitidine 3,375,031 26,697 3,401,728
7. temazepam 2,659,229 615,761 3,274,990
8. enalapril 3,202,554 3,549 3,206,103
9. atenolol 2,132,306 868,296 3,000,602
10. cefaclor 1,496,215 1,493,716 2,989,931

Changes from 1996 data:

Up: simvastatin (5 --> 4)

Down: codeine 30mg with paracetamol (4 --> 5)

Table 3

Top 10 drugs by cost to government 1997

Drug PBS/RPBS
DDD/1000/day
PBS/RPBS
scripts
Cost to
government ($A)
1. simvastatin 20.506 4,138,148 184,843,573
2. omeprazole 8.503 1,666,811 151,689,018
3. ranitidine 15.324 3,375,031 91,853,602
4. enalapril 22.013 3,202,554 79,932,155
5. ipratropium bromide 14.865 1,303,947 66,530,305
6. amlodipine 14.834 2,344,863 51,962,392
7. captopril 9.915 1,082,927 49,095,357
8. salbutamol 22.879 3,620,938 47,714,267
9. famotidine 7.664 1,670,596 44,061,838
10. pravastatin 3.292 809,534 38,002,306

Changes from 1996 data:

In: pravastatin (22 --> 10) Up: amlodipine (9 --> 6)

Out: budesonide (10 --> 11) Down: captopril (6 --> 7), salbutamol (7 --> 8), famotidine (8 --> 9)