Drug Utilization Patterns of Asthmatics

Asthma is a major global health problem. Its prevalence is increasing everywhere both in children and adults. In Malaysia, it is estimated that about 4.5% of the population are affected by the disease. The fight against asthma is an ongoing battle for all those involved in the management of the disease. The burden of asthma on economy is considerable both in terms of direct medical costs such as hospitalization and pharmaceuticals and indirect medical costs such as time lost from work and premature deaths. Asthma morbidity too is considerable with many patients having symptoms that affect their quality of life such as sleep, exercise and social activities. Asthma accounted for 0.4% of all deaths, or 1 in 250 and many of these deaths were thought to be preventable if asthma was managed properly or patients acted appropriately. The morbidity and economic burden of asthma can be substantially reduced if asthma is under control and one way to achieve that is to equip doctors with the necessary knowledge on asthma management. A retrospective Drug utilization Evaluation (DUE) is the simplest to perform since drug therapy is reviewed after the patient has received the medication. A retros