Amoxicillin dosing recommendations are very different in European countries : a cross-sectional survey

Abstract

National antibiotic stewardship programmes recommend monitoring antibiotic consumption and benchmarking. The WHO recommend the Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical classification and respective Defined Daily Doses (DDD) for drug utilization research. This is the most frequently used unit of measure within the European Union (EU). Wide variations in antibiotic consumption exist between EU countries in the outpatient setting, ranging in 2012 from 11.3 (the Netherlands) to 31.9 DDD per 1000 inhabitants and per day (Greece). Penicillins are the most consumed antibacterial agents in the community in all EU countries. Amoxicillin and amoxicillin/clavulanate are the two most widely prescribed penicillins, except in Denmark, Norway and Sweden where penicillin V and other very narrow-spectrum penicillins are used preferentially.