Trends in hospital admission rates and drug treatment of asthma in New Zealand.

Trends in hospital admission rates from asthma and sales of anti-asthma drugs in New Zealand for the past two decades were examined. In this period there has been a marked increase in hospital admissions for asthma and in sales of anti-asthma medications. These findings and the recently reported increase in asthma mortality in New Zealand indicate that asthma is an important health problem in this country.