Methylphenidate: prescribing patterns in a South African primary care patient population.
OBJECTIVE
Sales figures have indicated that there has been a steady increase in the use of methylphenidate in South Africa. The primary aim of the study was to investigate the prescribing of methylphenidate (indicated for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children, and narcolepsy) in a South African primary care patient population.


METHODS
A retrospective, exposure cohort drug utilization study was conducted in the South African private health care sector. Data were obtained from a medical aid administrator and were analysed for all patients who received one or more prescriptions for methylphenidate (N06B A04) during 2002.


CONCLUSIONS
A total of 106 patients received one or more prescriptions for methylphenidate during the year. Ninety of the 106 patients (84.9%) were under 25 years of age (average age 10.51 years, SD=3.92 years). These 90 patients were all single and the majority of them (75.6%) were males. The Lorenz curve was used to illustrate skewness in the prescribing of methylphenidate to the patient population. Patients under the age of 25 years received on average 3.46 prescriptions for methylphenidate during the year. The most common chronic diagnosis category was 'Hyperkinetic Syndrome of Childhood'. Most of the prescriptions were obtained from pharmacies, followed by dispensing doctors and rehabilitation services.


CONCLUSIONS
The results were in agreement with a previous South African study conducted in 1996. Further studies are recommended, especially into the quality of life of patients before and after receiving methylphenidate.
Truter
I
I
Department of Pharmacy, University of Port Elizabeth, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. ilse.truter@upe.ac.za
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010361:Patients; D019338:Polypharmacy; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D017149:Private Sector; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods; D013019:South Africa; D013607:Tablets; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D013607:Tablets; D008774:Methylphenidate