Table 1 Characteristics of the prescriptions and of the study population, 2009

Number of prescriptions

141 866

569 946

(1998-2009)

(1998-2009)

Number of patients in the population (2009)

37 896

140 726

Age distribution of patients (2009)

0-19 years

23.5% (8,918)

15.7% (22,132)

<0.001

20-45 years

30.3% (11,500)

51.9% (73,169)

<0.001

46-70 years

36.9% (13,997)

23.5% (33,271)

<0.001

71 years or older

9.2% (3,481)

8.8% (12,414)

0.028

Males in the population (2009)

50,2% (19,033)

47,6% (67,106)

<0.001