| Generic name |
Use |
Number of prescriptions |
|
Defined daily dose/1,000 population/day |
| 2003–04 amount ('000) |
2003–04 % PBS/ RPBS |
2007–08 amount ('000) |
2007–08 % PBS/ RPBS |
% Change 2003–04 to 2007–08 |
2003–04 amount ('000) |
2003–04 % PBS/ RPBS |
2007–08 amount ('000) |
2007–08 % PBS/ RPBS |
% Change 2003–04 to 2007–08 |
| Atorvastatin (b) |
Lowers blood cholesterol |
7,110 |
99.8 |
10,585 |
99.7 |
48.9 |
|
37.8 |
99.7 |
65.8 |
99.7 |
74.1 |
| Amoxycillin |
Antibiotic |
4,718 |
51.8 |
6,553 |
39.0 |
38.9 |
5.0 |
54.0 |
6.8 |
39.7 |
36.0 |
| Simvastatin (b) |
Lowers blood cholesterol |
6,016 |
99.9 |
5,892 |
98.1 |
–2.1 |
24.3 |
100.0 |
25.8 |
99.6 |
6.2 |
| Esomeprazole |
Lowers stomach acid |
(c) |
(c) |
5,244 |
99.7 |
. . |
(c) |
(c) |
19.1 |
99.5 |
. . |
| Perindopril |
Lowers blood pressure |
(c) |
(c) |
5,123 |
75.0 |
. . |
(c) |
(c) |
29.6 |
76.0 |
. . |
| Cefalexin |
Antibiotic |
3,238 |
60.5 |
4,462 |
52.2 |
37.8 |
2.0 |
60.0 |
2.7 |
51.9 |
35.0 |
| Irbesartan |
Lowers blood pressure |
3,454 |
97.6 |
4,337 |
71.2 |
25.6 |
19.1 |
99.0 |
23.6 |
70.8 |
23.6 |
| Atenolol |
Lowers blood pressure |
3,968 |
79.0 |
4,279 |
75.9 |
7.8 |
11.8 |
78.8 |
12.3 |
75.6 |
4.2 |
| Codeine + paracetamol |
Pain-killer |
3,863 |
69.9 |
4,053 |
61.6 |
4.9 |
(d) |
(d) |
(d) |
(d) |
. . |
| Metformin hydrochloride |
Lowers blood glucose |
3,145 |
82.9 |
4,006 |
74.0 |
27.4 |
12.1 |
81.8 |
15.9 |
73.6 |
31.4 |
| Amoxycillin + Clavulanic acid |
Antibiotic |
(c) |
(c) |
3,940 |
42.1 |
. . |
(c) |
(c) |
4.1 |
41.5 |
. . |
| Paracetamol |
Pain-killer |
4,814 |
98.0 |
3,844 |
95.6 |
–20.1 |
10.6 |
98.1 |
16.9 |
95.9 |
59.4 |
| Omeprazole |
Lowers stomach acid |
4,550 |
99.7 |
3,761 |
98.6 |
–17.3 |
20.8 |
99.5 |
16.5 |
98.8 |
–20.7 |
| Ramipril |
Lowers blood pressure |
3,063 |
93.7 |
3,707 |
72.2 |
21.0 |
31.2 |
96.8 |
40.2 |
70.6 |
28.8 |
| Salbutamol |
Opens airways |
4,368 |
73.7 |
3,666 |
76.7 |
–16.1 |
26.9 |
71.0 |
21.5 |
75.3 |
–20.1 |
- Medications included here are those for which a prescription is written and supplied in community pharmacies. Hospital pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter medications supplied without prescription are not included.
- In 2009, the WHO revised the value of a defined daily dose for these drugs; therefore the amounts reported here differ from amounts published previously (WHO 2009).
- These medications were not in the top 15 in 2003–04.
- There is no defined daily dose reported for Codeine + paracetamol because of the different dose combinations available.
PBS = Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme; RPBS = Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Sources
Drug Utilisation Sub-Committee (DUSC) database (DoHA unpublished data).
World Health Organization (WHO) 2009. The anatomical, therapeutic, chemical classification system with defined daily doses (ATC/DDD). Viewed 11 January 2010 , <www.whocc.no/atcddd/>.