Table 4.

Drug utilization pattern in study participants (ATC level 1–4)

Drug Utilization pattern (%a)
Level 1	n	%	Level 2	n	%	Level 3	n	%	Level 4	n	%
A	480	80	A01: Stomatological preparations	120	20	A01A: Stomatological preparations	120	20	A01AB: Anti-infectives and antiseptics for local oral treatment	120	20
			A02: Drugs for acid related disorders	387	64.5	A02B: Drugs for peptic ulcer and GERD	382	63.7	A02BA: H2-receptor antagonists	60	10
									A02BC: Proton pump inhibitors	309	51.5
			A03: Drugs for functional gastrointestinal disorders	129	21.5	A03F: Propulsives	116	19.3	A03FA: Propulsives	116	19.3
			A10: Drugs used in diabetes	117	19.5	A10B: Blood glucose lowering drugs	72	12	A10BB: Sulfonylureas	53	8.8
B	56	9.3	B01: Antithrombotic agents	26	4.3	B01A: Antithrombotic agents	26	4.3	B01AC: Platelet aggregation inhibitors	23	3.8
			B05: Blood substitutes	27	4.5	B05B:I.v. solutions	27	4.5	B05BC: Osmotic diuresis	27	4.5
C	290	48.3	C03: Diuretics	75	12.5	C03C: High-ceiling diuretics	68	11.3	C03CA: Sulfonamides, plain	68	11.3
			C07: Beta blocking agents	119	19.8	C07A: Beta blocking agents	119	19.8	C07AB: Beta blocking agents, selective	62	10.3
			C08: Calcium channel blockers	99	16.5	C08C: Selective calcium channel blockers	91	15.2	C08CA: Dihydropyridine derivatives	91	15.2
			C10: Lipid modifying agents	99	16.5	C10A: Lipid modifying agents, plain	97	16.2	C10AA: HMG CoA reductase inhibitors	97	16.2
D	36	6	D07: Corticosteroids	41	6.8	D07A: Corticosteroids, plain	41	6.8	D07AA: Corticosteroids, weak (group I)	30	5
G	3	0.5	G04: Urologicals	4	0.7	G04C: Drugs used in BPH	2	0.3	G04CA: Alpha-adrenoreceptor antagonists	2	0.3
H	36	6	H01: Pituitary and hypothalamic hormones	31	5.2	H01C: Hypothalamic hormones	31	5.2	H01CB: Somatostatin and analogues	31	5.2
J	373	62.2	J01: Antibacterials for systemic use	495	82.5	J01D: Other beta-lactam antibacterials	266	44.3	J01DD: 3rd-generation cephalosporins	255	42.5
						J01 M: Quinolone antibacterials	68	11.3	J01MA: Fluoroquinolones	68	11.3
			J04: Antimycobacterials	92	15.3	J04A: Drugs for tuberculosis	92	15.3	J04AK: Other drugs	48	8
L	13	2.2	L01: Antineoplastic agents	17	2.8	L01B: Antimetabolites	04	0.7	L01BA: Folic acid analogues	03	0.5
M	184	30.7	M01: Anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic products	188	31.3	M01A: Anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic products, non-steroids	188	31.3	M01AB: Acetic acid derivatives	159	26.5
N	398	66.3	N02: Analgesics	403	67.2	N02B: Other analgesics and antipyretics	359	59.8	N02BE: Anilides	305	50.8
			N03: Antiepileptics	67	11.2	N03A: Antiepileptics	67	11.2	N03AX: Other antiepileptics	32	5.3
P	12	2	P01: Antiprotozoals	13	2.2	P01B: Antimalarials	12	2	P01BF: Artemisinin and derivatives	9	1.5
R	182	30.3	R01: Nasal preparations	84	14	R01A: Decongestants and other	84	14	R01AD: Corticosteroids	61	10.2
			R03: Drugs for obstructive airway diseases	113	18.8	R03A: Adrenergics, inhalants	86	14.3	R03AC: Selective beta-2 agonists	43	7.2
			R06: Antihistamines for systemic use	67	11.2	R06A: Antihistamines for systemic use	67	11.2	R06AA: Aminoalkyl ethers	46	7.7
V	4	0.7	V03: Other therapeutic products	6	1	V03A: Other therapeutic products	6	1	V03AB: Antidotes	6	1

Note: A patient may be prescribed one or more than one drug from level 2, level 3 and level 4 categories

^aPercentages given with respect to the total sample size of the patients. GERD Gastroesophageal reflux disease, BPH Benign prostate hyperplasia