Patient compliance and techniques used with inhalation devices can strongly influence the effectiveness of inhaled medications but these issues are often poorly recognized and may be neglected when these products are prescribed. The extent of these problems and the success of differing education...

Achieving the support of physicians is perhaps the most difficult challenge to successfully implementing a disease management programme. Most physicians are sceptical of disease management initiatives. Many perceive these programmes to be a threat to their professional autonomy or an...

Despite a wealth of national treatment guidelines, algorithms, and clinical literature detailing the successful treatment of patients with depressive disorders, there remains a large gap between what is known to be ideal treatment of depression and the reality of current practice. Depression in...

It has been suggested that the annual direct costs for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are now around $US41 billion in the 8 most industrialised countries. This paper reviews the data on calculations of direct costs. The true economic burden is unclear, as there are insufficient data on indirect...

We reviewed the literature on the efficacy and effectiveness of beta-blocker therapy and examined the economic consequences of under-utilisation. Despite the literature documenting the value of beta-blockers, the therapy is not prescribed at the appropriate rates. Approximately half of acute...

Objective: To present a brief synopsis of trends in the number of prescriptions and retail costs of outpatient drugs dispensed in the US between 1998 and 2003. Methods: Data were extracted from IMS Health, the National Prescription Audit Plus(TM) and the National Disease and Therapeutic...

Objective: Atrial fibrillation (AF) represents a significant burden on healthcare resources. This study aimed to (i) identify key determinants for treatment choices in AF; (ii) analyze impacts of AF treatment on patient satisfaction and compliance; and (iii) analyze impacts of AF treatment on...

Background: Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) is legal in the US and New Zealand, but illegal in the rest of the world. Little or no research exists on the social welfare implications of DTCA. Aim: To quantify the total costs and benefits associated with both appropriate and inappropriate...