Relation between drug utilization and morbidity pattern: antihypertensive drugs.

Drug utilization studies are a valuable tool in health services research aiming to improve quality of health care and use of resources. We first present a simple model for drug utilization studies and then give practical examples from our studies in Norway, mainly dealing with the treatment of hypertension. There are marked differences in drug utilization between hospitals, counties, and the five Nordic countries. The medical consequences of these differences are probably small, but they have important economic implications. The marked regional differences in drug utilization argue for better organization of health care, for standardized treatment programs, and for continuing education of doctors.