Læknablaðið - 15.02.1996, Page 12

122
LÆKNABLAÐIÐ 1996; 82
Notendur astmalyfja á íslandi
Andrés Sigvaldason11, Ólafur Ólafsson21, Þórarinn Gíslason11
Sigvaldason A, Ólafsson Ó, Gíslason Þ
Antiasthmatic drugs in Iccland — an epidemiological
survey
Læknablaðið 1996; 82: 122-9
The use of antiasthmatic drugs in Iceland has in-
creased considerably during the last 15 years. The
aim of this study was to assess in a well-defined
epidemiological population the characteristics of
those using antiasthmatic drugs; age, gender, speci-
ality of prescribing doctor, dosage and combinations
of drugs. Also their clinical diagnosis and symp-
toms.
All individuals with prescriptions for antiasthmatic
drugs that came to Icelandic pharmacies during
March 1994 were invited to participate. Altogether
2026 individuals accepted (2687 prescriptions).
There were proportionally more young males and
middle aged females (p<0.0001). The prescriptions
for beta2-adrenergic drugs were 1574, 838 for in-
haled corticosteroids, 208 for theofylline, 49 for
anticholinergic drugs and 19 for natrium chromogly-
cate. General practitioners had prescribed 68% of
the drugs, 16.3% were from pulmonary physicians
and/or allergists, 6.4% from pediatricians and 9.3%
from other doctors. The treatment had been started
by specialists other than general practitioners in
more than 60% of cases. Among those using inhaled
drugs 95% had been tought how to do so.
The majority (66.9%) claimed that they were using
the drugs because of asthma, 17.8% because of
chronic bronchitis, 10.7% because of emphysema
and 4.6% for other reasons. There were altogether
591 individuals (>16 years) with asthma who an-
Frá ''lungnadeild Vífilsstaðaspítala, 2,lyfjafyrirtækinu Delta.
Fyrirspurnir, bréfaskipti: Andrés Sigvaldason, lungnadeild
Vífilsstaðaspítala, 210 Garðabær. Bréfsími: 560 2835.
Lykilorð: Astmi, lyfjameðferð, faraldsfræði.
swered the questionnaire. Among them 93% used
beta2-adrenergic drugs, 62% inhaled corticoseroids,
19% theofylline and very few used other drugs. The
most commonly used combination (57%) was beta2-
adrenergic drugs and inhaled corticoseroids. Alto-
gether 31% used beta2-adrenergic drugs as mono-
therapy and 5% had only inhaled corticosteroids.
Theofylline is mainly used in combination with be-
ta2-adrenergic drugs and inhaled corticosteroids. Its
use as monotherapy is infrequent (2%).
Among those 209 asthma patients who had used oral
corticosteroids the last 12 months, 73% were using
some kind of inhaled corticosteroids and 27% not.
Ágrip
Notkun astmalyfja hefur aukist stórlega
undanfarin ár. Markmið þessarar könnunar
var að afla upplýsinga um ávísendur og not-
endur astmalyfja með því að skrá alla lyfseðla á
astmalyf, sem bárust í íslensk apótek í mars-
mánuði 1994. Jafnframt var lagður spurninga-
listi fyrir notendurna þar sem notkun astma-
lyfja var könnuð nánar ásamt sjúkdómsgrein-
ingum og klínískum einkennum.
Alls voru skráðir 2026 einstaklingar sem
kornu með astmalyfseðla (52,2% konur og
47,8% karlar). Notendur voru hlutfallslega
fleiri meðal ungra pilta og miðaldra kvenna
(p<0,0001). Lyfseðlaávísanir voru samtals
2687. Ávísanir á sérhæfð beta2-adrenvirk lyf
voru 1574, 838 á innöndunarstera, 208 á teófýl-
lín, 49 á andkólínvirk lyf og 19 á krómóglíkat.
Af lyfseðlunum voru 68% frá heimilislæknum,
16,3% frá lungna- eða ofnæmislæknum, 6,4%
frá barnalæknum og 9,3% frá öðrunt læknum.
Alls höfðu sérfræðingar, aðrir en heimilislækn-
ar, hafið astmalyfjameðferðina í rúmlega 60%
tilfella. Meðal þeirra sent notuðu innöndunar-
lyf höfðu 95% fengið kennslu í notkun þeirra.
Flestir (66,9%) töldu sig hafa fengið astmalyfin