Table 2.
Current and potential use of thiazides for hypertension
| Proportion of the population on medication for hypertension* | Potential use of thiazides (DDDs/1000 inhabitants/day)† | Current use of thiazides (DDDs/1000 inhabitants/day)‡ | Potential increase (DDDs/1000 inhabitants/day) | |
| Canada | 5.8% | 26.1 | 23.3 | 2.8 (12%) |
| France | 5.8% | 26.1 | 8.9 | 17.2 (193%) |
| Germany | 5.8% | 26.1 | 12.6 | 13.5 (107%) |
| Norway | 6.1% | 27.5 | 7.2 | 20.3 (282%) |
| UK | 9.4% | 42.2 | 26.8 | 15.4 (58%) |
| US | 7.8% | 35.0 | 26.6 | 8.4 (32%) |
*Based on surveys for Canada, Norway, the UK and the US. Lowest estimate (Canadian) used for France and Germany †Assuming that a daily defined dose (DDD) of thiazide is appropriate medication for 45% of persons on medication for hypertension ‡Calculated from country-specific IMS-data for the year 2000