| |
Year of attendance
| |
|---|
| |
2005
|
2006
|
2007
|
2008
|
2009
|
2010
| |
|---|
|
Mean number of drugs
|
3.1
|
3.1
|
3.2
|
3.2
|
3.2
|
3.2
| |
|
Number of drug items per prescription
| | | | | | | |
|
0
|
2.7%
|
2.7%
|
2.3%
|
1.3%
|
1.3%
|
1.1%
| |
|
1
|
5.7%
|
5.5%
|
5.1%
|
5.1%
|
5.5%
|
5.0%
| |
|
2
|
21.2%
|
20.4%
|
19.6%
|
19.7%
|
19.8%
|
18.3%
| |
|
3
|
34.6%
|
33.8%
|
33.3%
|
33.0%
|
32.4%
|
32.1%
| |
|
4
|
27.8%
|
28.5%
|
29.7%
|
30.9%
|
31.0%
|
33.0%
| |
|
>4
|
8.1%
|
9.2%
|
10.0%
|
10.0%
|
10.0%
|
10.5%
| |
|
Proportion of prescriptions containing
| | | |
Current evidence
|
|
Analgesics
| | | | | | | |
|
Paracetamol
|
58.3%
|
60.1%
|
59.8%
|
59.1%
|
58.7%
|
58.9%
|
May reduce fever
|
|
NSAIDs
|
3.0%
|
3.6%
|
4.2%
|
4.3%
|
4.5%
|
4.9%
|
May reduce pain
|
|
COX-II inhibitors
|
0.0%
|
0.0%
|
0.0%
|
0.0%
|
0.0%
|
0.0%
|
No evidence
|
|
Antibiotics
|
8.1%
|
8.1%
|
6.8%
|
4.9%
|
4.4%
|
5.1%
| |
|
Antihistamines
| | | | | | | |
|
Sedating
|
81.1%
|
80.1%
|
82.3%
|
82.4%
|
80.8%
|
79.9%
|
Ineffective
|
|
Non-sedating
|
0.5%
|
0.3%
|
0.3%
|
0.3%
|
0.6%
|
1.2%
| |
|
Cough syrup
| | | | | | | |
|
Expectorant
|
36.8%
|
35.6%
|
36.3%
|
36.3%
|
34.0%
|
33.8%
|
Not recommended in children
|
|
Codeine
|
7.1%
|
6.9%
|
6.7%
|
6.5%
|
6.6%
|
6.3%
|
Limited evidence
|
|
Mucolytic
|
20.9%
|
22.2%
|
23.0%
|
24.0%
|
24.0%
|
25.0%
|
May reduce symptoms
|
|
Oral α-agonist
|
0.6%
|
0.4%
|
0.3%
|
0.2%
|
0.2%
|
0.2%
|
Modest effect in adults
|
|
Oral β-agonist
|
4.4%
|
4.7%
|
4.2%
|
4.1%
|
3.7%
|
4.1%
|
No evidence
|
|
Theophylline
|
1.1%
|
1.0%
|
1.0%
|
0.9%
|
0.8%
|
0.9%
|
No evidence
|
|
Others
| | | | | | | |
|
Throat lozenges
|
34.7%
|
34.9%
|
35.6%
|
37.5%
|
39.9%
|
40.4%
|
No evidence
|
|
Lysozyme
|
10.6%
|
11.8%
|
13.8%
|
14.5%
|
14.9%
|
15.6%
|
No evidence
|
|
Neozep
|
0.6%
|
0.3%
|
0.3%
|
0.2%
|
0.0%
|
0.1%
| |
