Use of antimicrobials and carriage of penicillin-resistant ... - Hirsla

26RESULTSSales statistics for antimicrobial use in communities (I, II)The total antimicrobial use during one year in the communities, includingall ages, was gathered in the 1993 and 1998 studies. A totalof 22,132 prescriptions were dispensed by local pharmacies in the1993 and 15,153 in 1998. The calculated amount used in terms of thenumber of defined daily doses (DDD) per 1000 inhabitants per dayis shown in Table 4.Table 4. Antimicrobial use 1993 and 1998according to sales statistics, measured asthe number of defined daily doses (DDD)per 1000 inhabitants per day in the studyareas.Number of DDD/1000/dayStudy area 1993 1998H 13.6 1 14.2V 19.9 17.2E 16.7 12.3B 13.6 11.21Together with Gardabaer in the 1993 studyAntimicrobial sales according to age, gender and time of year(1997-1998)When antimicrobial use is analysed as the rate of prescriptions in the1998 study (Fig. 7), the highest incidence of prescriptions is amongpre-school children. Women used more antimicrobials than men and,as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Most antimicrobial use was during thewinter (Fig. 8).Fig. 7. Incidence of antimicrobial prescriptions by age and gender inthe 1998 study (information from annual drug-store sales statistics).Fig. 8. Antimicrobial use as number of defined antimicrobial doses(DDD) per 1000 inhabitants per day by gender and month in the1998 study (information from annual drug-store sales statistics).