This study set out to review and analyse aspects of antidepressant prescribing in children and adolescents in a section of the private health care sector of South Africa. The research was conducted in two phases, namely a literature review and an empirical investigation. The aim of the literature review was to provide background to the study by conceptualising antidepressants. The empirical review followed a retrospective, descriptive, observational design. The data employed in the study was obtained from the medicine claims database of a South African Pharmaceutical Benefit Management (PBM) company. The study population consisted of 3 611 children and adolescents receiving ≥1 antidepressants from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2010. Basic descriptive statistics, such as frequency, prevalence, average, weighted average, standard deviation, weighted standard deviation, median, effect sizes, prescribed daily dosages and DU95% methodology were used to characterise the study sample, and were calculated using the Statistical Analysis System SAS® for Windows 9.3® program. The data were used to determine the prescribing patterns of antidepressants with regard to age, gender, geographic area, type of prescriber, the comparison of prescribed daily dosages vs. recommended daily dosages, and the prevalence of potential drug-drug interactions. Potential drug-drug interactions were identified and compiled by using various interaction compendia, whereas recommended daily dosages were identified by cross-referencing various dosage compendia. The study population consisted of 1 850 girls and 1 761 boys. The mean age of girls was 13.7 ± 3.9 years, vs. 12.3 ± 3.8 years for boys (d = 0.4). A total of 11 735 prescriptions containing 12 272 antidepressants were documented in 2010. Results of the study furthermore showed that the average number of prescriptions claimed per patient increased with age, from an average of 1.0 ± 0.28 among those up to the age of 2 years, to an average of 3.4 ± 3.21 among those 16 to 18 years of age. Prescribing with regard to age groups differed, rising gradually from birth and peaking at middle childhood for boys, whereas antidepressant use in girls increased from birth up to 6 years of age, reaching a plateau and increases again from age 13 and onward. Approximately 25% (n = 12 272) of antidepressants prescribed were either not indicated in children, or the dosages were deemed too high. More than 50% (n = 12 272) of antidepressants prescribed were in the Gauteng province. The SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors) and the TCAs (tricyclic antidepressants) were the most prescribed antidepressants in both gender groups. The male-to-female ratio for the selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors was 0.9, compared to 1.2 for the tricyclic antidepressants. The top three antidepressants prescribed were imipramine (21.8%), citalopram (15.3%) and escitalopram (14.7%, n = 12 272). Potential DDIs were observed on 284 (2.4%) (n = 11 743) prescriptions. The drug pairs with potential drug-drug interactions prescribed most, were imipramine with methylphenidate [43 cases (15.1%)] and valproic acid [38 cases (13.4%)], and followed by methylphenidate in combination with fluoxetine and sertraline [both documenting 32 cases (11.3%), respectively. The TCAs accounted for 182 (64.1%) cases of possible DDIs (drug-drug interactions), whereas combination therapy of SSRIs and TCAs accounted for 21.4% of potential DDIs. In conclusion, this study determined that there were a number of differences with regard to antidepressant prescribing in children and adolescents. Recommendations for future studies were made. / MPharm (Pharmacy Practice), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The aim of the study was to evaluate type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) medicine management in Government Clinics in Maseru, Lesotho. A two-dimensional research method was employed, consisting of a literature review and an empirical investigation. The objective of the literature review was to provide information on the pathophysiology, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and clinical management of DM. The empirical investigation consisted of a descriptive pharmacoepidemiological study, in which data for analysis was collected retrospectively from patients‘ medical records (―bukanas‖) at dispensing points, a using data collection tool. The selected study sites were Domiciliary Health Center, Mabote, Likotsi, and Qoaling filter clinics in Maseru district of Lesotho. Data on costs of antidiabetic agents was collected from purchase invoices provided by the pharmacy department of Domiciliary Health Center. Results showed that the overall ratio of males to females was 1.3. There were no statistical difference in DM prevalence between males and females in the different clinics (p = 0.48). The mean age of males and females was 57.5 ± 14.2 years and 58.6 ± 11.3 years, respectively (Cohen‘s d = 0.07). DM was more prevalent in patients 59 to 69 years for both males and females, with the exception of Mabote and Qoaling filter clinics, where DM was more prevalent in patients 49 to 59 years. These differences in prevalence were not statically significant. Overall, 20% (n = 69) of the study sample had DM alone, while 80.0% of patients had DM concurrently with hypertension. The odds ratio implicated that women were 1.7 times more likely to have hypertension concurrently with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. The mean blood glucose level at 95% confidence interval for females and males were 10.1 ± 5.9 mmol/L (95% CI: 10.1–11.7) and 10.9 ± 6.2 mmol/L (95% CI: 11.0–14.0) respectively. The difference in the mean blood glucose levels of males vs. females was not statistically significant (p = 0.07). In both males and females there were outliers as high as 33.3 mmol/L. Metformin 850 mg given three times, metformin 500 mg three times a day, glibenclamide 10 mg daily and glibenclamide 5 mg twice daily are oral hypoglycaemic agents that were first, second, third and fourth choice treatment of DM at all four study sites at a frequency of 54.2% (n = 160), 27.7% (n = 82), 4% (n = 12) and 2.7% (n = 27), respectively. Actraphane® 20 units in the morning and 10 units in the evening was prescribed at a frequency of 11.6% (n = 432) in comparison to other Actraphane®-containing regimens. The frequencies of prescribing metformin and Actraphane® as combination therapies represented 10.6% (n = 40), 7.1% (n = 27), and 6.6% (n = 25), respectively, for Actraphane® 20 units in the morning and 10 units in the evening, plus metformin 500 mg three times per day; Actraphane® 20 units in the morning and 10 units in the evening plus metformin 850 mg three times per day; and Actraphane® 30 units in the morning and 15 units in the evening plus metformin 850 mg three times per day. The combination therapy of metformin and glibenclamide were prescribed at frequencies of 24.6% (n = 172), 22.9% (n = 160), and 13.4% (n = 94) respectively for glibenclamide 10 mg daily plus metformin 850 mg three times per day, glibenclamide 5 mg daily plus metformin 850 mg three times per day, and glibenclamide 5 mg once a day plus metformin 500 mg three times per day as first, second and third choice treatments at all study sites. The total cost incurred for all the oral drugs prescribed alone within different regimens was M75.6 with the weighted average cost per patient of M0.81 ± 2.06 per day compared to the cost of Actraphane® which was M40 660.52 per month at a weighted average daily cost of M21.43 ± 6.23 per patient. The overall cost of Actraphane® and metformin combination therapy amounted to M50 676.50, at an average cost per patient of M21.77 ± 6.80 per day. The cost of combination therapy consisting of metformin and glibenclamide amounted to M377.10, at a weighted average cost amounting to M0.49 ± 0.16 per patient, per day. Based on the results of this study some conclusions were reached on the prevalence of DM, prescribing patterns and the cost of antidiabetic agents. Recommendations pertaining to the clinics and further research were made. / MPham (Pharmacy Practice), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways and affects many people regardless of their age, gender, race and socioeconomic status. Since asthma is recognised as one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in people and especially in South Africa, the prescribing patterns, prevalence and medication cost of asthma in South Africa are saliently important and need to be investigated. A non-experimental, quantitative retrospective drug utilisation review was conducted on medicine claims data of a pharmaceutical benefit management company in a section of the private health care sector of South Africa. The study period was divided into four annual time periods (1 January 2008 to 31 December 2008, 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009, 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2010 and 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011). The prescribing patterns and cost of asthma medication were investigated and stratified according to province, age and gender. Patients were included if the prescriptions which were provided by the health care practitioners matched the Chronic Disease List (CDL) of South Africa and the International Classification of Disease (ICD-10) coding for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Data analysis was conducted by means of the SAS 9.3® computer package. Asthma patients were divided according to different age groups (there were five different age groups for this study), gender and geographical areas of South Africa. The study indicated a steady increase in the prevalence of asthma patients from 0.82% (n = 7949) in 2008 to 1.18% (n = 15 423) in 2009 and reached a minimum of 0.79% (n = 8554) in 2011. Analysis of the prevalence regarding geographical areas in South Africa suggested that Gauteng had the highest number [n = 17 696, (0.85%)] of asthma patients throughout the study period, followed by KwaZulu Natal [n = 8 628, 1.16%)] and the Western Cape [(n = 8513, 0.97%) (p < 0.05)]. The prevalence of asthma in female patients [0.89% (n = 26 588)] was higher than in their male counterparts [0.79% (n = 19 244)] (p > 0.05). The results showed that asthma was not as common chronic disease in children. The total number of asthma patients younger than 7 years represented 0.64% (n = 2 909). It was found that patients over 65 years of age showed the highest prevalence of the five age groups [1.94% (n = 13 403) (p < 0.05)]. The average number of asthma prescriptions per patient per year was 8.28 (95% CI, 8.16- 8.40) and 5.15 (95% CI, 5.06-5.23) in 2008 and 2011, respectively. The number of asthma items per prescription varied from 1.55 (95% CI, 1.55-1.56) in 2008 to 1.40 (95% CI, 1.39- 1.40) in 2011. Medication from the MIMS® pharmacological group (anti-asthmatics and bronchodilators) was used to identify asthma medication. The top three asthma medication with the highest prevalence in the study period were the anti-inflammatory inhaler of fluticasone (n = 39 721) followed by the single item combination product of budesonide/ formoterol (n = 25 121) and salbutamol (n = 24 296). The influence of COPD on asthma treatment and the costimplication thereof were investigated. Medication from the MIMS® pharmacological group (anti-asthmatics and bronchodilators) was used to identify COPD medication. This study also showed that COPD had an influence in the economic burden of the South African asthma population. The cost of medication is responsible for the single largest direct cost involved in the economic burden of asthma. This study showed that asthma represented 0.88% of the direct medication cost in the study (excluding hospitalisation and indirect cost). The average cost per prescription and average cost per asthma item both increased throughout the study period. The prescribing patterns for the different medication used in the treatment of asthma were investigated and recommendations for further research in this field of study were made. / MPharm (Pharmacy Practice), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

No description available.

Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways and affects many people regardless of their age, gender, race and socioeconomic status. Since asthma is recognised as one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in people and especially in South Africa, the prescribing patterns, prevalence and medication cost of asthma in South Africa are saliently important and need to be investigated. A non-experimental, quantitative retrospective drug utilisation review was conducted on medicine claims data of a pharmaceutical benefit management company in a section of the private health care sector of South Africa. The study period was divided into four annual time periods (1 January 2008 to 31 December 2008, 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009, 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2010 and 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011). The prescribing patterns and cost of asthma medication were investigated and stratified according to province, age and gender. Patients were included if the prescriptions which were provided by the health care practitioners matched the Chronic Disease List (CDL) of South Africa and the International Classification of Disease (ICD-10) coding for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Data analysis was conducted by means of the SAS 9.3® computer package. Asthma patients were divided according to different age groups (there were five different age groups for this study), gender and geographical areas of South Africa. The study indicated a steady increase in the prevalence of asthma patients from 0.82% (n = 7949) in 2008 to 1.18% (n = 15 423) in 2009 and reached a minimum of 0.79% (n = 8554) in 2011. Analysis of the prevalence regarding geographical areas in South Africa suggested that Gauteng had the highest number [n = 17 696, (0.85%)] of asthma patients throughout the study period, followed by KwaZulu Natal [n = 8 628, 1.16%)] and the Western Cape [(n = 8513, 0.97%) (p < 0.05)]. The prevalence of asthma in female patients [0.89% (n = 26 588)] was higher than in their male counterparts [0.79% (n = 19 244)] (p > 0.05). The results showed that asthma was not as common chronic disease in children. The total number of asthma patients younger than 7 years represented 0.64% (n = 2 909). It was found that patients over 65 years of age showed the highest prevalence of the five age groups [1.94% (n = 13 403) (p < 0.05)]. The average number of asthma prescriptions per patient per year was 8.28 (95% CI, 8.16- 8.40) and 5.15 (95% CI, 5.06-5.23) in 2008 and 2011, respectively. The number of asthma items per prescription varied from 1.55 (95% CI, 1.55-1.56) in 2008 to 1.40 (95% CI, 1.39- 1.40) in 2011. Medication from the MIMS® pharmacological group (anti-asthmatics and bronchodilators) was used to identify asthma medication. The top three asthma medication with the highest prevalence in the study period were the anti-inflammatory inhaler of fluticasone (n = 39 721) followed by the single item combination product of budesonide/ formoterol (n = 25 121) and salbutamol (n = 24 296). The influence of COPD on asthma treatment and the costimplication thereof were investigated. Medication from the MIMS® pharmacological group (anti-asthmatics and bronchodilators) was used to identify COPD medication. This study also showed that COPD had an influence in the economic burden of the South African asthma population. The cost of medication is responsible for the single largest direct cost involved in the economic burden of asthma. This study showed that asthma represented 0.88% of the direct medication cost in the study (excluding hospitalisation and indirect cost). The average cost per prescription and average cost per asthma item both increased throughout the study period. The prescribing patterns for the different medication used in the treatment of asthma were investigated and recommendations for further research in this field of study were made. / MPharm (Pharmacy Practice), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Due to the fact that the function of dispensing is not the exclusive practice of a single profession, there is much conflict surrounding the issue: it forms the crux of the pharmacy profession but it also forms part of doctors’ scope of practice. Separation of the acts of prescribing and dispensing would prevent the interest of the doctor, who has the potential to profit from selling medicines, being placed above the interest of the patient. It would, however, also affect the essential services that many dispensing doctors provide to pensioners, unemployed patients, those not covered by a medical scheme and those in rural areas. The implications of doctor dispensing are not clear as conflicting evidence suggests that dispensing doctors prescribe more medicine items, injections and antibiotics while preferring certain brand names on the one hand but on the other, evidence shows that dispensing doctors dispensed less expensive medicines compared to other health care providers. The main objective of this study was to analyse the prescribing patterns of dispensing doctors and other medicine providers in a section of the private health care sector of South Africa for 2005 to 2008 by using a medicine claims database. A retrospective drug utilisation review was conducted by extracting data from a medicine claims database for a four–year period, from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2008. The results revealed that dispensing doctors had a lower cost per prescription compared to other health care providers (R112.66 ± R4.45 vs. R258.48 ± R23.93) and also had a lower cost per medicine item (R39.62 ± R2.18 vs. R112.43 ± R7.56) for the entire study period from 2005 to 2008. Dispensing doctors provided more items per prescription compared to other health care providers (2.85 ± 0.05 items vs. 2.30 ± 0.06 items) but other health care providers claimed more prescriptions per patient per year (7.50 ± 1.15 prescriptions vs. 3.29 ± 0.07 prescriptions). A higher percentage of generic medicine items were provided to patients visiting dispensing doctors. Dispensing doctors treated a majority of patients aged above 19 to 44 years of age while other health care providers treated a majority of patients above 59 years of age. Both dispensing doctors and other health care providers treated a majority of female patients and issued a majority of medicine items to treat acute conditions. The results also revealed that dispensing doctors generally provided relatively inexpensive medicine items, including generic and innovator items, for female and male patients of all ages while other health care providers showed the opposite trend and issued relatively expensive medicine items to these patients. However, when analysing the top twelve pharmacological groups claimed, dispensing doctors had relatively higher costs compared to other health care providers for nine of the pharmacological groups (central nervous system, analgesic, cardio–vascular, ear, nose and throat, dermatological, urinary system, antimicrobial, endocrine system and cytostatic). The pharmacological groups contributing to the highest number of medicine items and highest medicine cost contribution were the antimicrobial group for dispensing doctors and cardio–vascular group for other health care providers. / Thesis (M.Pharm. (Pharmacy Practice))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Due to the fact that the function of dispensing is not the exclusive practice of a single profession, there is much conflict surrounding the issue: it forms the crux of the pharmacy profession but it also forms part of doctors’ scope of practice. Separation of the acts of prescribing and dispensing would prevent the interest of the doctor, who has the potential to profit from selling medicines, being placed above the interest of the patient. It would, however, also affect the essential services that many dispensing doctors provide to pensioners, unemployed patients, those not covered by a medical scheme and those in rural areas. The implications of doctor dispensing are not clear as conflicting evidence suggests that dispensing doctors prescribe more medicine items, injections and antibiotics while preferring certain brand names on the one hand but on the other, evidence shows that dispensing doctors dispensed less expensive medicines compared to other health care providers. The main objective of this study was to analyse the prescribing patterns of dispensing doctors and other medicine providers in a section of the private health care sector of South Africa for 2005 to 2008 by using a medicine claims database. A retrospective drug utilisation review was conducted by extracting data from a medicine claims database for a four–year period, from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2008. The results revealed that dispensing doctors had a lower cost per prescription compared to other health care providers (R112.66 ± R4.45 vs. R258.48 ± R23.93) and also had a lower cost per medicine item (R39.62 ± R2.18 vs. R112.43 ± R7.56) for the entire study period from 2005 to 2008. Dispensing doctors provided more items per prescription compared to other health care providers (2.85 ± 0.05 items vs. 2.30 ± 0.06 items) but other health care providers claimed more prescriptions per patient per year (7.50 ± 1.15 prescriptions vs. 3.29 ± 0.07 prescriptions). A higher percentage of generic medicine items were provided to patients visiting dispensing doctors. Dispensing doctors treated a majority of patients aged above 19 to 44 years of age while other health care providers treated a majority of patients above 59 years of age. Both dispensing doctors and other health care providers treated a majority of female patients and issued a majority of medicine items to treat acute conditions. The results also revealed that dispensing doctors generally provided relatively inexpensive medicine items, including generic and innovator items, for female and male patients of all ages while other health care providers showed the opposite trend and issued relatively expensive medicine items to these patients. However, when analysing the top twelve pharmacological groups claimed, dispensing doctors had relatively higher costs compared to other health care providers for nine of the pharmacological groups (central nervous system, analgesic, cardio–vascular, ear, nose and throat, dermatological, urinary system, antimicrobial, endocrine system and cytostatic). The pharmacological groups contributing to the highest number of medicine items and highest medicine cost contribution were the antimicrobial group for dispensing doctors and cardio–vascular group for other health care providers. / Thesis (M.Pharm. (Pharmacy Practice))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Background: Type II diabetes is a common disease worldwide and several drug treatments are available. Some of the more recently approved drugs are DPP4-inhibitors, GLP analogues and SGLT2-inhibitors. Most of the Type II diabetes drugs (T2DMD) are prescribed by primary care physicians. To ensure rational drug use it is important to follow up prescribing patterns to design strategies and interventions that can improve drug treatment, since consequences of inappropriate drug use might be poor health outcomes and increased health costs. Aim: To study differences in the prescribing pattern of T2DMD among primary healthcare centres (PHC) at a macro level in Region Uppsala. Method: A cross-sectional study based on data collected from Region Uppsala’s data register. Data consisted of individuals over 25 years of age with at least one prescription of a diabetes drug from the Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) group A10 prescribed within the period of January 2018 to June 2020. Results: There is a moderate difference in the prescribing patterns of T2DMD among different PHCs in Region Uppsala. Overall, a larger proportion of oral antidiabetic drugs (OAD) were prescribed compared to Insulins. Most PHC prescribed a larger proportion of long acting insulins than other Insulins. Among OAD, a larger proportion of Biguanide derivative where prescribed. DPP-4 inhibitors, Sulphonylureas and SGLT2-inhibitors were prescribed to almost the same extent. Conclusion: Overall, there is a minor difference in the prescribing patterns of T2DMD among different PHCs in Region Uppsala during the study period. Lately, prescribing of DPP4-inhibitors, SGLT2-inhibitors and long acting insulins have increased. / I detta fördjupningsprojekt studerades förskrivningsmönstren av typ II diabetesläkemedel i Region Uppsala. Studieresultaten vissa skillnader i hur olika vårdcentraler i Region Uppsala förskriver typ II diabetesläkemedel. Från början var hypotesen att icke-insuliner förskrivs i större utsträckning än insuliner. Vilket visade sig stämma överens med resultaten. I studien jämförs också skillnaden mellan förskrivning av icke-insuliner som funnits längre på marknaden och de nyligen godkända (DPP4-hämmare och SGLT2-inhibitorer). Resultaten visar en tydlig ökning i förskrivning av de nya läkemedlen under studieperioden. En anledning till detta kan vara läkemedels positiva farmakologiska effekter. I studien jämförs också skillnaden i förskrivningen av de olika insuliner i Region Uppsala. Resultaten visar att långverkande insuliner förskrivs i större utsträckning i jämförelse med andra insuliner, vilket är inte enligt rekommendationslistan för förskrivning av typ II diabetesläkemedel Studieresultaten kan användas för att fortsätta följa upp och förbättra kvalitén på diabetesvården i Region Uppsala. Ytterligare studier skulle till exempel kunna utgå ifrån hela populationen med en typ 2 diabetesdiagnos för att studera utfall även för andra interventioner än läkemedel. Dessutom behövs fortfarande kunskap om det är kostnadseffektiv att fler nya typ 2 diabetesläkemedel används. Studien ger kunskap om förskrivningen av typ II diabetesläkemedel i Region Uppsala. Studien kan användas som grund för dialog om förskrivningen av typ II diabetesläkemedel i regionen, så att denna optimeras och fler individer får adekvat behandling. Detta arbete är viktigt eftersom typ II diabetes är en mycket vanlig sjukdom där prevalensen ökar.  Denna studie är en tvärsnittsstudie baserat på sekundärdata från Region Uppsalas elektroniska medicinalt register och primärdata från två enkäter skickade till sjuksköterskor och läkare som jobbar på vårdcentraler med patienter med diabetes. Studien inkluderar data från de 26 offentliga vårdcentraler som hör till förvaltningen Nära, Vård och Hälsa i region Uppsala. Förskrivningsdata baseras på recept för ett diabetesläkemedel från Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) gruppen A10, förskrivet mellan januari 2018-juni 2020.