Anti-diabetic drugs as a cause of hypoglycaemia among acute medical admissions in Hong Kong and Singapore--relationship to the prescribing patterns in diabetic patients.
Severe hypoglycaemia due to anti-diabetic drugs is a more important cause of medical admissions in Hong Kong (1.5%) than in Singapore (0.4%-0.8%), although the prevalence and pattern of diabetes mellitus in the two Chinese populations are similar. Review of the available drug utilisation data indicated that glibenclamide and tolbutamide are the most frequently used sulphonylurea in Hong Kong and Singapore, respectively. These drugs also predominate among diabetic patients admitted with hypoglycaemia in the respective population. Since the risk of hypoglycaemia is greater for glibenclamide than other sulphonylureas, the increased incidence of anti-diabetic drug-induced hypoglycaemia in Hong Kong may, at least in part, be related to the frequent use of glibenclamide.
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital.
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D000208:Acute Disease; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005905:Glyburide / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012846:Singapore; D014044:Tolbutamide / Q000009:adverse effects*
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D014044:Tolbutamide; D005905:Glyburide