title: Long-acting β-agonist prescribing in people with asthma in primary care.
abstract: Long-acting β2-agonist (LABA) monotherapy is contraindicated in asthma following reports of serious adverse events. Anonymised Scottish health data were used to determine the prevalence of LABA prescribing and LABA monotherapy (sustained and episodic) in asthma during 2006. Of 73 486 asthma patients identified, 5592 (7.6%; 95% CI 7.4% to 7.8%) were prescribed LABAs as a separate inhaler of which 991 patients had LABA monotherapy (17.7% (95% CI 16.7% to 18.7%) of patients at risk). Asthma reviews were associated with reductions in sustained (OR 0.44; 95% CI 0.32 to 0.61) but not episodic monotherapy (OR 1.16; 95% CI 0.85 to 1.57). These findings support recent changes in UK asthma guidelines recommending LABAs in fixed-dose combination inhalers.
authors.affiliation: Population Health Sciences Division, Medical Research Institute, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK. d.r.z.morales@dundee.ac.uk
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Shona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fielding
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guthrie
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000420:Albuterol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011320:Primary Health Care; D000068299:Salmeterol Xinafoate; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D004983:Ethanolamines; D000068299:Salmeterol Xinafoate; D000420:Albuterol; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate