title: Prescribing patterns for childhood asthma treatment in general practice.
abstract: The treatment preferences of 109 general practitioners (GPs) for childhood asthma were determined. Availability and adherence to clinical practice guidelines (CPG) for the treatment of childhood asthma was also assessed. Ninety eight (90%), 60 (55%) and 33 (30%) GPs considered nocturnal symptoms > 2 times/week, exercise induced wheeze and cough respectively as indications for preventer therapy. An oral preparation was preferred for relief medication [72 (66%) for 2-5 years, 60 (55%) for > 5 years]. An inhaled preparation was however preferred for preventer medication [60 (55%) for 2-5 years, 85 (78%) for > 5 years]. The oral form was more likely prescribed for asthmatic children 2-5 years (p < 0.001). Corticosteroids and ketotifen were the commonest inhaled and oral preventer treatment prescribed respectively. Only 36(33%) GPs have a CPG copy for reference. Children with asthma symptoms that require preventer therapy may not always be identified in general practice. The oral route remains important for asthma medication especially in young children. The accessibility to the CPG among GPs is disappointing.
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory Medicine, University Malaya Medical Center, 50603 Kuala Lumpur.
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: M Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Norzila
mesh_terms: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents