'No frills prils' : how Australian general practitioners choose which ACE inhibitor to prescribe

Context: ACE inhibitors (ACEIs) are one of the most commonly prescribed blood pressure lowering medications in Australia. Nearly $85 million dollars is spent by the PBS and patients on the two most popular ACEIs each year. The general patient charge for a month's supply of an ACEI can vary between $18.48 to $27.94 depending on the ACEI prescribed. The nine ACEIs available in Australia are considered therapeutically equivalent; meaning that each ACEI has the same blood pressure lowering effect and similar side effects as another ACEI. General practitioners (GPs) prescribe a range of ACE inhibitors and to our knowledge, the reasons behind why an individual GP prescribes one ACE inhibitor compared to another are not well understood. Objective: This study aims to explore the factors that influence general practitioners (GPs) to prescribe particular ACE inhibitors. Design: This is a qualitative study that will use in-depth semi-structured interviews with GPs to answer the key research questions. Between 10 and 12 GPs will be recruited to participate in this study. Setting: Australian general practice. Participants: General practitioners. Findings: Pending. Implication(s) for practice: The findings of this research would provide an increased understanding of the factors that shape the way GPs prescribe ACEIs and would have immediate relevance to policy makers looking to decrease the spending on pharmaceuticals. The research findings may also inform current GP practice so that the cost of particular ACEIs can be taken into account during the prescribing process to reduce government spending and out of pocket costs for patients.