title: Acquisition cost of dispensed drugs in individuals with multiple medications--a register-based study in Sweden.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the acquisition cost of dispensed prescription drugs for individuals with multiple medications in a national population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected and analysed individual based data regarding the acquisition cost of dispensed prescription drugs for all individuals with five or more dispensed drugs (DP≥5) in Sweden 2006 (2.2 million).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals with DP≥5 (24.5% of the population) accounted for 78.8% of the total acquisition cost, and individuals with DP≥10 (8.6% of the population) and DP≥15 (3.0% of the population) accounted for 46.3% and 23.2%, respectively. The average acquisition cost per defined daily doses (DDD) generally decreased with increasing age. The highest average cost per DDD was observed for individuals with DP≥10. The acquisition cost for women with DP≥5 represented 56.0% of the total acquisition cost. Men with DP≥5 represented 44.0% of the total acquisition cost.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In an entire national population, individuals with multiple medication accounted for four fifths of the total acquisition cost of dispensed drugs. Actions to reduce the number of prescription drugs for the group of patients with a number of different drugs may also result in a substantial reduction of the total acquisition cost.
authors.affiliation: eHealth Institute and School of Natural Sciences, Linnaeus University, SE-391 82 Kalmar, Sweden. bo.hovstadius@pwc.se
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hovstadius
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Åstrand
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Persson
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petersson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D016527:Drug Costs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019338:Polypharmacy; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000191:economics; D012042:Registries; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D055553:Prescription Drugs