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Appropriateness of antiviral prescribing for influenza in primary care: a retrospective analysis *
Author(s) -
Linder J. A.,
Chan J. C.,
Bates D. W.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.622
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1365-2710
pISSN - 0269-4727
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2710.2006.00731.x
Subject(s) - medicine , medical prescription , antiviral treatment , sore throat , retrospective cohort study , antiviral therapy , primary care , pediatrics , emergency medicine , virus , surgery , virology , family medicine , pharmacology , chronic hepatitis
Summary Background and objective: Antiviral medications cost‐effectively reduce influenza‐related morbidity and potentially mortality. We sought to assess the appropriateness of antiviral prescribing for influenza. Method: We performed a retrospective analysis of visits by adults to primary care clinics during influenza seasons from 1 October 2000 to 31 May 2004 with a claims diagnosis of influenza ( n = 535) or with an electronic antiviral prescription ( n = 25). We defined appropriate antiviral prescribing as the patient having (a) symptoms for 2 or fewer days, (b) fever and (c) any two of headache, sore throat, cough, or myalgias. Results and discussion: Physicians diagnosed patients with influenza in 102 of 535 (19%) visits with a claims diagnosis of influenza. Physicians prescribed antivirals at 15 of 102 (15%) of these visits. The addition of 25 additional electronic antiviral prescriptions gave a sample of 127 visits and 40 (31%) antiviral prescriptions. Twenty‐eight (70%) antiviral prescriptions were appropriate. Among patients who did not receive antivirals, 21 of 87 (24%) met criteria for appropriate antiviral prescribing. Antiviral prescribing was associated with a shorter median symptom duration (2 days vs. 3 days; P < 0·01) and higher median temperature (37·8 °C vs. 36·9 °C; P < 0·01). Physicians prescribed antivirals more frequently to patients who had myalgias (37% vs. 18%; P = 0·04) and an influenza test (67% vs. 28%; P < 0·01). Physicians prescribed antivirals more frequently to Blacks (44%) and patients with other race/ethnicity (67%) than to Whites (20%) or Hispanics (20%; P < 0·0001). Conclusions: To improve antiviral prescribing for influenza in primary care, interventions need to target the accurate identification of influenza visits, undertreatment, as well as inappropriate treatment.