• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.149-159
• /
• 2005

Purpose: To determine the extent and rate of prescription drug therapy, especially polypharmacy and the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication use in Korean elderly ambulatory patients based on an explicit criterion. Methods: Performed a retrospective study of 65 years or older ambulatory patients visiting a university hospital based clinic from January 2002 to April 2004. Study determined the patterns of drug prescription per Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification and the potentially inappropriate medication usage based on explicit Beers criteria. Results: Of the 4,042 elderly patients the mean number of prescription was $2.2{\pm}2.0$, which was similar between genders and all age groups within the elderly. 10.7% of patients were prescribed with more than 5 medications concurrently. The most frequently prescribed medication was the drugs used for treating nervous system diseases (44.3%), followed by alimentary tract/metabolism disorders (27.6%), cardiovascular disease (10.7%), blood/blood forming disorders (4.3%), respiratory disorders (6.5%), and musculoskeletal diseases (3.2%). A total of 511 elderly (13%) was prescribed with medication that met the criteria for=1 potentially inappropriate drugs for the elderly. This proportion was similar between genders and all age groups within the elderly. Among these 511 elderly patients the mean number of potentially inappropriate drugs prescribed was $5.1{\pm}3.3$ drugs. Potentially inappropriately prescribed drugs included amitriptyline (76 cases), diazepam (69 cases), ketorolac (57 cases), short acting nifedipine (44 cases), triazolam (38 cases), and hydroxyzine (38 cases). Conclusion: Potentially inappropriate drug prescribing in Korean ambulatory elderly patients are common. Education programs and interventions aimed at optimizing the prescribing and dispensing of the most appropriate drugs are needed.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.8-21
• /
• 2023

Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) drugs are often co-prescribed with other medications to prevent GI complications. This study aimed to evaluate the prescribing pattern of potentially unnecessary GI drugs in patients with acute cystitis who were prescribed oral antibiotics and investigate the influencing factors affecting this. Methods: We identified female patients ≥20 years with acute cystitis who visited the outpatient clinic and were prescribed oral antibiotics between July and December by analyzing Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA)-National Patients Sample (NPS)-2019 data. Patients with no prior history of GI disorders within 180 days prior to acute cystitis, excluding or including the date of diagnosis of acute cystitis, were selected (Group A and B). Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the factors affecting the prescription of potentially unnecessary GI drugs. Results: A total of 1,544 in Group A and 552 patients in Group B were included for the final analysis. Potentially unnecessary GI drugs were prescribed in 1,176 patients in Group A (76.2%) and 231 patients in Group B (41.8%). Third generation cephalosporines and sulfonamides showed the lower odds ratio for prescribing GI drugs than penicillins. Prescribers from Urology clinics showed more than twice odds ratio for the prescription of GI drugs compared to prescribers from internal medicine clinics. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that potentially unnecessary GI drug prescriptions for patients with acute cystitis were high in South Korea. The positive risk factors affecting the prescription of unnecessary GIs were not patient-related factor but healthcare facility and prescriber-related factors.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.37-49
• /
• 2017

Objectives : This study analyzes the characteristics of prescription drugs for acute upper respiratory tract infection in outpatient clinics and provides basis for establishing the correct evaluation project on appropriate prescribing indicators. Methods : Research data were collected from two for each family medicine, internal medicine, pediatric, otorhinolaryngology and general practitioner clinics with a total of 10 clinics with diseases classifications codes J00-J06, J20 on patients receiving treatment between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013 every Monday in Busan City. Results : The antibiotic prescription rate in evaluating the project on appropriate prescribing indicators of Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service was 44.3%, whereas this study was approximately 30% higher because analysis to target the entire cold-related diagnosis. Conclusions : The correct antibiotic prescription by expanding the current assessment standard should be identified as a minor diagnosis because the evaluation project on appropriate prescribing indicators targets the major diagnosis only.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2011

Reforming the insurance scheme for herbal drugs in the National Health Insurance is a long-cherished desire for Korean Medicine doctors. Because most Korean Medicine doctors distrust the quality of existing insured herbal drugs, which are powdered mixes of each herbal extract, the use and the expenditure of insured herbal drugs have been decreased in the last ten years. To address this, it has been demanded to insure the composite type of herbal preparation, which is the extracted powder of the whole prescription, to the benefit coverage for herbal drugs. Many stake holders, however, have so far been unable to reach an agreement on this. In this situation, Sasang Constitutional prescriptions are expected to make a breach of insuring the composite herbal preparations, because some of them were approved as prescription drugs in 1999. In this review, I discussed the problems of insured herbal drugs, the necessity of insuring the composite herbal preparations and Sasang Constitutional prescriptions, and the tasks of Sasang Constitutional Society to insure them.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.56 no.1
• /
• pp.60-65
• /
• 2012

This study examines factors associated with drug approvals and patent issues of the Korean pharmaceutical firms. The 22 firms were selected based on 2006 year's publicly noticed sales amount. Number of approved drugs was identified through Korea Food and Drug Administration and the information regarding the patents that each firm has issued during the year 2000~2006 was collected from the Korea Patent Office. The number of approved drugs has increased annually, especially after the introduction of substance patent system in 1987 and in 2000 again with the policy change into the separation of drug prescribing and dispensing practice. The number of initial approval of NCEs as well as the number of patents per firm decreased during the year 2000~2006. The 12 firms with larger revenue occupied more than 80% of the patents being issued. There was a positive relationship between share of prescription drugs out of approved drugs and the average number of patents issued. However, number of approved drugs did not show positive association with the number of patents issued per firm. Therefore, the study results imply that firms need to invest more in increasing number of approvals for their specific prescription drugs in order to achieve a good performance in the future.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.45-59
• /
• 2000

This study was designed to figure out current situation of use of non prescription drugs and psychological factors of high school girl students on drug use, and conducted from Nov. 1 through Nov. 20. 1998. 536 girl students were randomly selected for this study. Symptom Check list-90-Revision questionnaires used for interview. The data obtained were analyzed by SAS program. The results are as follows: 1. 94.8% of students had experiences of using more than one kind of drug; lenitive(57.8%), digestant(74.1%), remedy for colds(84.9%), antibiotic(9.3%), stimulant(3.2%) remedy for constipation(22.4%). 2. Students had experiences of using non prescription drug, lenitive(88.1%), digestant(91.7%), remedy for colds(57.4%), antibiotic(58.0%), stimulant(88.2%) remedy for constipation(88.3%) 3. 19.4% of students had experiences using drugs more than one time a week and 23.5% of students experienced tolerance, prescription group(11.1%) and non prescription group(88.9%) and 21.4% of students were keeping some medicine who experienced tolerance. 4. The scores of Symptom Check list-90-Revision of students' were higher than Kim's standard group and the psychological states were worse than Kim's standard group. 5. There were significant differences among groups(no use of drug, use of less than three kinds of drugs, use of more than three kinds of drugs) in Symptom Dimension without Paranoid Ideation and Phobic Anxiety and between using group and non using group of drug in Psychological factors on Drug use by lenitive, antibiotic, and stimulant.

• Korean Management Science Review
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.93-103
• /
• 2011

This paper has aimed to identify marketing variables which affect physicians' prescription of drug. Based on a literature review this paper derives the three factors (indirect commercial source, direct commercial source, academic information source) of information sources that physicians rely on for medicines, the three factors (research supporting activity, marketing supporting activity, medicine information supporting activity) of promotion activities physicians prefer, and the four factors (indirect quality of medicine, direct quality of medicine, experience of using medicine, price and design of medicine) of prescription criteria physicians use. Then it investigates using canonical correlation analysis whether or not physicians' prescriptions are affected by the information sources, the promotion activities, and the type of physicians. From the canonical correlation analysis this paper derives the meaningful three canonical functions of prescription for drugs. The first function explains the prescription which is insensitive to marketing activities, the second function does the prescription which is sensitive to them, and the final function does the prescription which is not affected by them.

• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.83-103
• /
• 2001

I studied conductant drug(使藥) in a prescription. As results of these studies, conductant drug(使藥) with meaning of medicinal guide(引經) were Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix(牛膝), Platycodi Radix(桔梗), Cinnabaris(朱砂), Sal Maritimus(食鹽), alcoholic drink(酒,) Cimicifugae Rhizoma(升麻) and Bupleuri Radix(柴胡). Conductant drugs with meaning of harmonizing medicines in a prescription were almost Glycyrrhizae Radix(甘草). And sometimes Mel(蜂蜜) was used with meaning of harmonizing medicines in pill. And Jujubae Fructus was used with meaning of harmonizing medicines in purgation medicines.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.76-93
• /
• 1998

Three hundred sixty-two(male 131, female 231) elderly aged over 65 in Chungb- uk area were interviewed to determine the disease states and drug usage patterns. The prebalence of disease was 78% and women reported more chronic diseases(83%) than men(71%). Elderly who live with spouse and have an occupation have a lower rate of disease. Average number of diseases of the elderly was $1.8\pm{1.1}$, and women$(2.1\pm{1.3)}$ have significantly higher average number of diseases than that of men$(1.4\pm{0.7)}$. Also the elderly in urban areas$(2.1\pm{1.4)}$ have significantly higher number of diseases than that of the elderly in rural areas$(1.6\pm{0.9)}$. Arthritis, hypertension, cardiovascular and gastric diseases were the most frequently listed chronic diseases in order for both men and women. Anemia and fracture of bone were relatively higher in women than in men. Particularly, the arthritis of the urban elderly have a rate of 1.5 times higher than that of the rural elderly. Fifty-two percent of the elderly were currently using drugs ; among drug users 71.2% used prescription drugs and 20.5% used nonprescription drugs. The average number taken per person was 2.1$\pm$1.4 and there was no sex or age difference. However, the elderly in rural areas $(2.7\pm{1.7)}$ consumed a significantly higher number of drugs than those in urban areas$(1.7\pm{0.7)}$. The average number of prescripti- on drugs taken was 2.0$\pm$1.4 while the average of nonprescription drugs taken was $(1.3\pm{0.6)}$. Analgesics and antihypertensive drugs were most commonly used. Vitamin and analgesics were the most frequently used self-prescribed drugs. It was noted that potential adverse drug interaction by concominant drug consumption for arthritis and antihypensive drug, abuse of digestants and antiacid without treatment of the underlying disease, and misuse of quick-acting bowel medications were problematic for the elderly. In addition drugs used for the elderly have some adverse effect on the digestive system. The types and composition of drugs used by the elderly were identified and presented. Medication compliance was poor and 13.5% reported adverse reactions such as edema, heartburn, nausea, and difficulty with eating. Seventeen percent of the elderly obtained drugs arranged by those other than medical staff. Also, even among those elderly who obtained drugs prescribed by a doctor, 69.1% of subjects had not receive instruction about potential adverse reactions. These results suggest that nutritional problems related to drug usage might exist and so dietitians, either individually or as members of health teams, need to have a better understanding of drug-nutrient interaction and closer supervision, and drug information/education service should therefore be provided to prevent or minimize adverse drug reaction in elderly users of medication.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.49-56
• /
• 2014

Objectives Previous literature on the prescription change among patients with schizophrenia mainly focused on antipsychotics. This study investigated chronological change in the patterns of discharge medication among inpatients with schizophrenia at a psychiatric inpatient unit of a university-affiliated hospital. Methods All admission records at a psychiatric unit of Hanyang University Guri Hospital with discharge diagnosis of schizophrenia during two different five-year time frames (1996-2000 and 2006-2010) were reviewed including the demographic and clinical data and discharge medications. The data were gathered from a total of 207 patients (95 in 1990s and 112 in 2000s). Results The frequency in use of atypical antipsychotics (p < 0.01), antidepressants (p < 0.05), beta-blockers (p < 0.01), and benzodiazepine (p < 0.01) was significantly higher in 2000s. Anticholinergic drugs were less likely used in 2000s (p < 0.01). We did not find significant differences in the equivalent dose of antipsychotic drugs, the use of mood stabilizers and cholinergic drugs between two time frames. Conclusions Increased proportion of atypical antipsychotics and decreased use of anti-parkinsonian drugs are in line with literature. Our results show that more diverse classes of psychotic medications are used for schizophrenia in recent years. It is likely that psychiatrists are becoming more conscious of negative symptoms, anxiety, and depression in the pharmacotherapy of schizophrenia as well as positive symptoms of the illness.