Prescribing patterns for asthma by general practitioners in six European countries

To assess the level of concordance with international consensus on asthma m anagement, we compared primary care prescribing patterns for asthma in diff erent European countries. A prospective study of prescription items with an associated diagnostic lab el of asthma in patient consultations with a total of 235 general practitio ners (GPs) from Belgium, England, Ireland, Italy, Northern Ireland, Portuga l, Scotland and Spain was performed. A total of 101 544 consecutive consult ations were recorded in autumns 1994 and 1995 of which 3595 (3.5%) were for patients with asthma and 3243 (3.2%) were for patients receiving a prescri ption for asthma. Overall asthma consultations varied from 1.8% in Italy to 5.8% in Ireland ( mean 3.4%, so 1.6). Prescribed inhaled medications for children varied from 72% of the total asthma prescriptions in Ireland and Portugal to 82% in No rthern Ireland (mean 79%, SD 8.1) and for adults 55% in Italy to 85% in Spa in (mean 70%, SD 10). Inhaled corticosteroid usage for adults varied from 1 4% in Italy to 31%; in Northern Ireland (mean 24%, SD 6.4). Far children, b eta(2)-agonist use varied from 24% in Italy to 67% in Spain (mean 45%, SD 1 3). Despite publication of international guidelines for the management of asthm a, inter-country prescribing practices vary considerably and could be impro ved. The frequency of use of asthma as a diagnostic label also varies marke dly.