A study of the management of erectile dysfunction in general practice.
OBJECTIVE
The Department of Health issued guidelines for the NHS treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) with phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE 5 inhibitors) in 1999. There has been an increasing trend in the prescribing of PDE 5 inhibitors within Bebington and West Wirral Primary Care Trust (PCT) over the 3-year period from February 2001 to January 2004. The objective of the study was to investigate implementation of Government guidelines on prescribing of PDE 5 inhibitors for ED and the cost of prescribing outside these guidelines.


METHODS
Practice data were collected for all patients prescribed a PDE 5 inhibitor in 16 surgeries within Bebington and West Wirral Primary Care Trust, from November 2002 to December 2003. The data were evaluated with respect to adherence to UK Government guidelines. Analysis was made on the cost to the PCT with respect to treatment provided outside the guidelines.


CONCLUSIONS
Prescribing for 78% of patients was within Government guidelines. With respect to frequency of prescribing, 89% of patients in the PCT received less than or equal to the recommended frequency of one tablet per week. The percentage range for practices was 67-100%. The cost to the PCT for PDE 5 inhibitor treatment provided outside the guidelines was 19,060 pounds sterling over the period of study.


CONCLUSIONS
Prescribers generally follow Government guidelines, however, stricter adherence to guidelines could result in more efficient use of National Health Service resources.
Griffiths
L
L
School of Pharmacy & Chemistry, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK.
Bush
N
N
Mottram
D
D
Armstrong
D
D
D015106:3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D054706:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 5; D016527:Drug Costs; D017723:Drug Utilization Review / Q000592:standards; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards
D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases; D015106:3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases; D054706:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 5; C517381:PDE5A protein, human