Abstract | PURPOSE: To describe prescription trends within a managed care setting for glaucoma medications and to examine the effect of introduction of Cosopt--a fixed combination of dorzolamide and timolol. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All prescriptions dispensed to any of the 470,350 members of an Israeli health maintenance organization were monthly scanned for patients treated for glaucoma, between January 2000 and May 2003. The monthly mean number of glaucoma patients was 3899 +/- 104 (mean +/- SD). All topical glaucoma prescriptions were documented, and the monthly prescription rate of each medication was calculated and plotted. The monitored glaucoma medications were: beta-adrenergic antagonists, dorzolamide, latanoprost, pilocarpine, brimonidine, Cosopt, and others. RESULTS: CONCLUSIONS: Introduction of a combination drug should be accompanied by physicians', pharmacists', and patients' education to prevent its inappropriate usage together with its components.
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Authors | Igor Kaiserman, Nadia Kaiserman, Sasson Nakar, Shlomo Vinker |
Journal | Journal of glaucoma
(J Glaucoma)
Vol. 14
Issue 2
Pg. 157-60
(Apr 2005)
ISSN: 1057-0829 [Print] United States |
PMID | 15741819
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Chemical References |
- Antihypertensive Agents
- Drug Combinations
- Sulfonamides
- Thiophenes
- dorzolamide-timolol combination
- Timolol
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Topics |
- Antihypertensive Agents
(therapeutic use)
- Drug Combinations
- Drug Prescriptions
(statistics & numerical data)
- Drug Utilization
(trends)
- Glaucoma, Open-Angle
(drug therapy)
- Health Maintenance Organizations
(statistics & numerical data)
- Health Services Research
- Health Surveys
- Humans
- Intraocular Pressure
(drug effects)
- Israel
- Ocular Hypertension
(drug therapy)
- Practice Patterns, Physicians'
- Sulfonamides
(therapeutic use)
- Thiophenes
(therapeutic use)
- Timolol
(therapeutic use)
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