Who is using antihypertensive drugs?: A prescription analysis from Finland

Objective — To analyse the prescribing of antihypertensives in Finland in 1993.Design — A descriptive three-month follow-up study of reimbursed prescriptions for chronic hypertension dispensed in Finnish pharmacies.Setting — The nationwide prescription data base of the Social Insurance Institution covering 80% of Finnish pharmacies.Material — The study material consisted of 479 744 antihypertensive prescriptions from ATC-groups hypotensives (C02), diuretics (C03), beta blocking agents (C07), and potassium (A12B) for 279 435 hypertensive patients.Results — Of all the prescriptions (excluding potassium supplements), 30% were for beta blocking agents, 24% for diuretics, 22% for calcium channel blocking agents, 20% for ACE inhibitors or ACE inhibitor + diuretic combinations, and 4% for other hypotensives. Two thirds of the men received a drug from a hypotensive group, nearly half were prescribed a beta blocking agent, and 27% a diuretic. Among women the distribution of the different drug groups was more even:...