Table 1
Top 10 drugs by defined daily dose/thousand population/day - 1997
| Drug | PBS/RPBS | Guild survey | Total community use |
| 1. salbutamol | 22.879 | 6.656 | 29.535 |
| 2. frusemide | 20.481 | 2.164 | 22.645 |
| 3. enalapril | 22.013 | 0.019 | 22.032 |
| 4. simvastatin | 20.506 | 0.019 | 20.525 |
| 5. ranitidine | 15.324 | 0.051 | 15.375 |
| 6. ipratropium bromide | 14.865 | 0.027 | 14.892 |
| 7. amlodipine | 14.834 | 0.005 | 14.839 |
| 8. budesonide | 14.714 | 0.054 | 14.768 |
| 9. felodipine | 11.588 | 0.111 | 11.699 |
| 10. hydrochlorothiazide with amiloride | 8.578 | 3.068 | 11.646 |
Changes from 1996 data:
In: amlodipine (11 --> 7) Up: ipratropium (7 --> 6)
Out: beclomethasone (10 --> 14) Down: budesonide (6 --> 8), hydrochlorothiazide with amiloride (8 --> 10)
Table 2
Top 10 drugs by prescription counts 1997
| Drug | PBS/RPBS | Guild survey | Total community use |
| 1. amoxycillin | 2,606,250 | 2,499,733 | 5,105,983 |
| 2. paracetamol | 4,652,760 | 110,411 | 4,763,171 |
| 3. salbutamol | 3,620,938 | 967,501 | 4,588,439 |
| 4. simvastatin | 4,138,148 | 4,079 | 4,142,227 |
| 5. codeine 30mg with paracetamol | 2,925,566 | 1,055,121 | 3,980,687 |
| 6. ranitidine | 3,375,031 | 26,697 | 3,401,728 |
| 7. temazepam | 2,659,229 | 615,761 | 3,274,990 |
| 8. enalapril | 3,202,554 | 3,549 | 3,206,103 |
| 9. atenolol | 2,132,306 | 868,296 | 3,000,602 |
| 10. cefaclor | 1,496,215 | 1,493,716 | 2,989,931 |
Changes from 1996 data:
Up: simvastatin (5 --> 4)
Down: codeine 30mg with paracetamol (4 --> 5)
Table 3
Top 10 drugs by cost to government 1997
| Drug | PBS/RPBS
DDD/1000/day | PBS/RPBS
scripts | Cost to
government ($A) |
| 1. simvastatin | 20.506 | 4,138,148 | 184,843,573 |
| 2. omeprazole | 8.503 | 1,666,811 | 151,689,018 |
| 3. ranitidine | 15.324 | 3,375,031 | 91,853,602 |
| 4. enalapril | 22.013 | 3,202,554 | 79,932,155 |
| 5. ipratropium bromide | 14.865 | 1,303,947 | 66,530,305 |
| 6. amlodipine | 14.834 | 2,344,863 | 51,962,392 |
| 7. captopril | 9.915 | 1,082,927 | 49,095,357 |
| 8. salbutamol | 22.879 | 3,620,938 | 47,714,267 |
| 9. famotidine | 7.664 | 1,670,596 | 44,061,838 |
| 10. pravastatin | 3.292 | 809,534 | 38,002,306 |
Changes from 1996 data:
In: pravastatin (22 --> 10) Up: amlodipine (9 --> 6)
Out: budesonide (10 --> 11) Down: captopril (6 --> 7), salbutamol (7 --> 8), famotidine (8 --> 9)
