Eight underused prescriptions

Eight currently underused therapeutic regimens are reviewed on the basis of their potential to have a major impact on morbidity and mortality in adults. The criteria for the selection of these regimens included their safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, the availability of substantial data to support their efficacy, and the existence of evidence that the regimens are underused in clinical practice. The eight regimens that meet these criteria are prophylactic aspirin therapy, estrogen replacement therapy, nicotine substitutes as adjunctive therapy in smoking cessation, beta-blocker therapy following myocardial infarction, anti-inflammatory agents in the treatment of asthma, antidepressant drugs as therapy for mild depression, increased fiber intake and regular exercise.