Antihyperlipidaemic drugs - Results of a drug utilisation review in the Bologna area

Objectives: To evaluate antihyperlipidaemic drug use in the Bologna region of Italy in relation to gender and age, and to define the patterns of presc ription, establish the extent to which drug therapy was continuous, and to investigate self-reported patient compliance with dietary regimens. Patients and Methods: A questionnaire was administered over a period of 19 days to all individuals purchasing an antihyperlipidaemic drug in a public or private pharmacy. The study included 1999 individuals (1150 females and 844 males; gender was not reported in five cases) with a mean age of 63.68 +/- 10.40 years. Results: Males commenced treatment at a mean age of 57.64 years, and female s at a mean age of 62.0 years. The mean treatment duration was 42.82 months in males and 43.46 months in females. Therapy was proposed by general prac titioners in 64.2% of patients, by hospital specialists in 28.4%, and by sp ecialists working in private clinics or medical centres in 6.4% (1% of pati ents asked spontaneously to begin antihyperlipidaemic treatment). A total o f 72.4% of patients reported using statins, 22.7% fibrates, 2.8% resins and 2.3% other drugs. Simvastatin was the most frequently prescribed statin (5 1.0%), followed by pravastatin (16.5%). The most prescribed fibrate was gem fibrozil (13.2%). Males and females used the same drugs except for gemfibro zil, which was more commonly used in males, and pravastatin, which was more frequently used in females. The prescribed daily dose of statins was very close to the defined daily dose, showing a strict adherence to the currentl y available drug-prescribing recommendations. Conclusion: This study provided a useful means of investigating the applica tions of guidelines, particularly with regard to antihyperlipidaemic drug u se in coronary heart disease prevention.