Carney A Simon, Price David B, Smith Pete K, Harvey Richard, Kritikos Vicky, Bosnic-Anticevich Sinthia Z, Christian Louise, Skinner Derek A, Carter Victoria, Durieux Alice Ms
Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Centre of Academic Primary Care, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
Pragmat Obs Res. 2017 Aug 30;8:157-165. doi: 10.2147/POR.S134266. eCollection 2017.
To explore patterns in the purchase of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) oral antihistamines (OAHs) and intranasal corticosteroids (INCSs) by patients, from pharmacies in different geographical regions of Australia.
Retrospective observational study using a database containing anonymous pharmacy transaction data from 20.0% of the pharmacies in Australia that link doctor prescriptions and OTC information. Pharmacy purchases of at least one prescription or OTC rhinitis treatment during 2013 and 2014 were assessed.
In total, 4,247,193 prescription and OTC rhinitis treatments were purchased from 909 pharmacies over 12 months. Of treatments purchased, 75.9% were OAHs and 16.6% were INCSs. OTC purchases of both treatments exceeded purchases through prescription. OTC OAHs purchasing patterns were seasonal and almost identical in the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, and New South Wales, and similar seasonal patterns for OTC INCSs were noted in most regions except for South Australia and Tasmania. Prescription purchasing patterns of both OAHs and INCSs remained unchanged throughout the year in most regions.
This large-scale retrospective observational study identified seasonal purchasing patterns of OTC and prescription OAHs and INCSs in a real-world setting. It highlighted that seasonality only affects OTC purchasing patterns of OAHs and INCSs across Australia and that practitioner prescribing remains unchanged, suggesting that it is only for persistent disease.
探讨澳大利亚不同地理区域的患者从药房购买处方和非处方(OTC)口服抗组胺药(OAHs)及鼻用糖皮质激素(INCSs)的模式。
采用回顾性观察研究,使用一个包含澳大利亚20.0%药房匿名药房交易数据的数据库,该数据库将医生处方与OTC信息相链接。评估了2013年和2014年期间至少购买一种处方或OTC鼻炎治疗药物的药房采购情况。
在12个月内,从909家药房共购买了4,247,193次处方和OTC鼻炎治疗药物。所购买的治疗药物中,75.9%为OAHs,16.6%为INCSs。两种治疗药物的OTC购买量超过了处方购买量。OTC OAHs的购买模式具有季节性,在澳大利亚首都领地、维多利亚州、西澳大利亚州、南澳大利亚州和新南威尔士州几乎相同,除南澳大利亚州和塔斯马尼亚州外,大多数地区的OTC INCSs也有类似的季节性模式。在大多数地区,OAHs和INCSs的处方购买模式全年保持不变。
这项大规模回顾性观察研究确定了在现实环境中OTC和处方OAHs及INCSs的季节性购买模式。它强调季节性仅影响澳大利亚各地OAHs和INCSs的OTC购买模式,而医生的处方保持不变,这表明仅针对持续性疾病。