Why has the utilization of antiasthmatics increased in Finland

Abstract The sales of antiasthmatics have increased rapidly in the Nordic countries during the 1980s. The causes for this growth in Finland were studied. Four nationwide population surveys show that the prevalence of self-reported asthma has risen, a larger proportion of asthmatic patients are under medication, the number of antiasthmatics per patient has increased, and the dosage recommendations of inhalation glucocorticoids and β-agonists have grown. The average cost of medical treatment of an asthmatic patient was FIM 1848 (approximately U.S. $510.00) in 1990. The highest average expenses in the 21 districts studied were FIM 2171 and the lowest FIM 1535. To identify the consequences of these variations, the frequency of symptomatic periods as well as the quality of life of the asthmatic patients should be studied.