CHANGES IN PRESCRIBING PATTERNS OF ORAL HYPOGLYCEMICS IN ELDERLY PATIENTS, OVER A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS - MATCHING WITH GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR OWN PRESCRIBING

A 10-year hospital admissions database has demonstrated a steep declin e in the prescribing of chlorpropamide, and to a lesser degree, of gli benclamide, with tolbutamide, metformin and the most recently introduc ed oral hypoglycaemic, gliclazide, maintaining relatively uniform leve ls. Glipizide was the most popular emerging agent. Interviews with 20 general practitioners (GPs) revealed that 55% had a definite first cho ice agent with a priority order of gliclazide, tolbutamide and glibenc lamide. For the remaining GPs without a sole preference, gliclazide (3 0%), glipizide (30%) and glibenclamide (20%) featured as their most co mmonly prescribed agents.