Real world prescription of beta‐blockers in patients with asthma

Abstract

AbstractPurposeThis study aimed to investigate the prescription of beta‐blockers (β‐blockers) for patients with asthma.MethodsIn this retrospective cross‐sectional study using the National Patient Sample (NPS) of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) of South Korea, β‐blockers and asthma medications were investigated using generic name codes provided by HIRA. Concomitant administration was identified when a β‐blocker and an asthma medication were co‐prescribed in one billing statement or when separate β‐blocker and asthma prescriptions had overlapping dates of use.ResultsIn the 1027 patients with asthma who were prescribed non‐selective β‐blockers (non‐SBs), 3087 non‐SB prescriptions were identified, of which 62.3% and 37.3% were for carvedilol and propranolol, respectively. Of the 906 patients with asthma prescribed selective β‐blockers (SBs), 2942 SB prescriptions were identified, of which 48.5%, 28.3%, and 20.3% were for bisoprolol, atenolol, and nebivolol, respectively. Overall, 2149 non‐SB and 2124 SB prescriptions with overlapping use dates with asthma medications were identified, which were prescribed to 726 and 657 patients, accounting for 70.7% and 72.5% of the patients receiving non‐SBs and SBs, respectively. β2‐agonists accounted for 39.9% of the concomitant asthma medications with overlapping dates of use with non‐SBs. Co‐prescribing of bronchodilators occurred at a rate of 38.7% and 45.1% for the 3087 non‐SB prescriptions and 2942 SB prescriptions, respectively.ConclusionsCarvedilol and propranolol accounted for half of all β‐blockers prescribed to asthma patients. Prescribing β‐blockers to patients with asthma requires caution to prevent exacerbation of asthma and drug interactions between β‐blockers and co‐prescribed asthma medications.