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Table 7. Summary of yearly prescriptions
RevisedRXName
STRENGTH OF
MED DOSE
N
Obs
Mean
Std Dev
Minimum
Maximum
Actonel®
30
6
36.0000000
18.2428068
24.0000000
72.0000000
35
153
24.9738562
17.8129712
1.0000000
96.0000000
5
8
246.7500000
288.3825584
30.0000000
900.0000000
Boniva®
150
18
3.1111111
2.5870467
1.0000000
11.0000000
Calcitonin
200
1
6.0000000
.
6.0000000
6.0000000
Estrogen
-9
7
78.9285714
51.6368962
42.5000000
170.0000000
0.3
18
132.0000000
137.6889077
21.0000000
484.0000000
0.625
9
169.5555556
113.8322352
12.0000000
360.0000000
Evista®
60
105
241.4761905
196.4417165
11.0000000
864.0000000
Forteo®
250
1
12.0000000
.
12.0000000
12.0000000
750/3
6
14.6666667
9.9732977
1.0000000
25.0000000
Fosamax®
-9
2
20.0000000
22.6274170
4.0000000
36.0000000
10
8
187.8750000
173.9609459
6.0000000
450.0000000
35
46
20.6521739
14.5559723
3.0000000
60.0000000
5
1
210.0000000
.
210.0000000
210.0000000
70
320
25.2281250
25.4043382
1.0000000
156.0000000
70/2800
6
10.6666667
6.0221812
4.0000000
20.0000000
70/75
1
1500.00
.
1500.00
1500.00
N()=
/ AUTONAME AUTOLABEL WAYS INHERIT
;
RUN;
The results are summarized in Table 7.
The average sum of doses does not appear to be close to full compliance, which should be 52 doses
for the once-per-week medications, and 12 for the once-per-month Boniva®. However, the maximum
value of the total prescriptions is much larger than would be expected from full compliance, suggesting
that physicians are increasing the dose for some patients.
However, to define a compliance level and to examine the prescribed dose, we also use kernel density
estimation. For Actonel® weekly, Figure 30 gives the kernel density at two different dose levels.
Note that the trends in the two doses are very different. For the 30 mg dose, the peak is for 30 doses
in a year, but is starting to increase to 60 doses in a year. This indicates that there is a small portion of the
patient population that is complying with their medication. However, in the 35 mg dose, there is a peak
at 15 doses in a year and a second peak at 30 doses in a year; however, after that point, the probability
in the number of doses declines. Figure 31 gives a 5 mg dose of Actonel®, to be taken daily. The trend
is almost identical to that of the 30 mg dose. However, one dose per day for 365 doses in a year has a
significant amount of probability. Patients who have 600 doses are taking 2 doses in a day.
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