Abstract

CAAMANO-ISORNA, Francisco  and  ALVAREZ-GIL, Rosa. Quality prescription indicators in defined daily doses: Are we getting it right?. Gac Sanit [online]. 2008, vol.22, n.5, pp.498-499. ISSN 0213-9111.

Quality prescription indicators of use potential level (UPLI) are defined as the proportion that represents consumption of specific active principles as opposed to the total consumption of the anatomical therapeutic category. The UPLIs that have gradually been defined in Spain employ the defined daily dose (DDD) as the unit of measurement. Although the DDD is not necessarily the same as the therapeutic equivalent dose (TED), some authors have argued that the DDD is a standard unit of measurement and is therefore valid. However, this view may not be correct, given that the relationships between the TED and the DDD differ, depending on the drug, even within the same anatomical therapeutic category. Therefore, the use of DDDs in UPLI s may lead to prescription of a medicine being encouraged or discouraged depending on its TED/DDD ratio.

Keywords : Quality of prescription; Prescribing indicators; Defined daily doses.

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