Related Experiment Videos
Prescribing for childhood asthma in the Wellington area: comparison with international guidelines
1Department of Medicine, Wellington School of Medicine.
Insights
Wellington GPs may not be following paediatric asthma guidelines. While many children received beta 2 adrenoceptor agonists, anti-inflammatory use was moderate, and sodium cromoglycate was rarely prescribed.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- General Practice
- Pharmacotherapy
Background:
- International consensus guidelines provide a rational approach to childhood asthma management.
- Assessing adherence to these guidelines in primary care is crucial for effective treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the adoption of paediatric asthma treatment guidelines by general practitioners in Wellington.
- To analyze prescription patterns for childhood asthma in the Wellington region.
Main Methods:
- A review of prescriptions for 228 asthmatic children dispensed in the Wellington area between May and June 1991.
- Data collected from 30 randomly selected pharmacies.
Main Results:
- Eighty-four percent of children were prescribed beta 2 adrenoceptor agonists, with a high proportion receiving them orally, especially those under five.
- Regular scheduled use of beta 2 adrenoceptor agonists was common.
- Fifty-two percent received anti-inflammatory therapy, but only 2% were prescribed sodium cromoglycate.
Conclusions:
- Adherence to paediatric asthma management guidelines appears limited among Wellington primary care physicians.
- The frequent regular use of oral beta 2 adrenoceptor agonists and low use of sodium cromoglycate indicate potential deviations from recommended practices.
Aims:
An international paediatric asthma consensus group has outlined the rational approach to the treatment of childhood asthma. We have examined the prescription of asthma treatment to children in Wellington to assess to what extent these guidelines have been adopted by general practitioners.
Methods:
During the period 1 May-11 June 1991, the prescriptions for 228 asthmatic children, dispensed at 30 randomly selected pharmacies in the greater Wellington area, were reviewed.
Results:
Eighty-four per cent of the children were prescribed beta 2 adrenoceptor agonists. Of these, 80% of those under five years, and 27% over five years of age, received these agents by the oral route. In almost half, these drugs were prescribed on a regular basis. Fifty-two per cent of patients were prescribed some form of antiinflammatory therapy (inhaled or oral steroids, ketotifen or sodium cromoglycate). Only 2% received sodium cromoglycate.
Conclusion:
Although approximately half of these children received some form of antiinflammatory therapy, the minimal use of sodium cromoglycate, and high frequency of regular scheduled beta 2 adrenoceptor agonist use, suggests that the guidelines for asthma management in children may not have been widely adopted by primary care physicians in Wellington.