Buccaling under the pressure: influence of secondary care establishments on the prescribing of glyceryl trinitrate buccal tablets in primary care.

OBJECTIVE

To determine which characteristics were the best predictors of high rates of prescribing of glyceryl trinitrate buccal tablets.

DESIGN

Practice and patient characteristics from 197 practices were examined, and a multiple regression analysis was performed to examine which variables were important in predicting this prescribing.

SETTING

Former family health services authority (197 practices).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Volume of prescribing of glyceryl trinitrate buccal tablets.

RESULTS

Four variables contributed significantly to a multiple regression model: the catchment area of the secondary care establishment; the number of partners in a practice; the level of practice deprivation; and whether the practice served an urban or a rural area. The model suggests that the most important variable was the catchment area of the secondary care establishment in which the practice was located.

CONCLUSION

Although only the prescribing of short acting glyceryl trinitrate buccal tablets was studied, an impact of this size on primary care prescribing may have extensive implications for all drug expenditure in primary care.