Table 2.
Number and proportion of bronchodilator prescriptions over 1 year in total bronchodilator initiators and stratified by the years of index dates
| Total initiators | Years of index dates
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–2003 | 2004–2006 | 2007–2010 | ||
| Number of total bronchodilator prescriptions | 21,235 | 11,162 | 5,712 | 4,451 |
| Pattern of bronchodilator treatments | ||||
| By medication classesa, % | ||||
| Oral xanthines | 62.63 | 65.70 | 61.71 | 56.12 |
| Oral beta-2 agonists | 47.54 | 50.07 | 47.99 | 40.62 |
| SABAs | 9.84 | 8.14 | 10.21 | 13.61 |
| SAMAs | 8.78 | 8.68 | 8.05 | 9.98 |
| LABAs | 1.14 | 2.02 | 0.26 | 0.04 |
| LABA/ICS FDCs | 4.41 | 2.54 | 4.69 | 8.76 |
| LAMAs | 2.23 | 0.01 | 2.12 | 7.93 |
| By regimensb, % | ||||
| Oral bronchodilators alone | 80.79 | 83.77 | 81.92 | 71.89 |
| Oral and inhaled bronchodilators in combination | 7.82 | 4.80 | 7.39 | 15.95 |
| Inhaled bronchodilators alone | 11.39 | 11.43 | 10.70 | 12.15 |
| Number of inhaled bronchodilator prescriptions | 4,096 | 1,812 | 1,033 | 1,251 |
| Pattern of inhaled bronchodilator treatments | ||||
| By regimensb, % | ||||
| Short-acting bronchodilators alone | 61.62 | 71.85 | 61.76 | 46.68 |
| Short-acting and long-acting bronchodilators in combination | 31.23 | 21.03 | 30.78 | 46.36 |
| Long-acting bronchodilators alone | 7.15 | 7.12 | 7.45 | 6.95 |
Notes:
a
Proportions added up to more than 100% because patients may receive multiple bronchodilators during the 1-year follow-up period.
b
Proportions may not be equal to 100% due to rounding.
Abbreviations: FDCs, fixed dose combinations; LABAs, long-acting beta-2 agonists; LAMAs, long-acting muscarinic antagonists; SABAs, short-acting beta agonists; SAMAs, short-acting muscarinic antagonists; ICS, inhaled cortiocsteroids.