Table 10 Indicators of potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) [2]

Primary

1. Patients with a history of peptic ulcer who have been prescribed a non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug without co-prescription of a proton-pump inhibitor

2. Patients with asthma who have been prescribed a β blocker

Secondary

3. Patients aged 75 years and older who have been prescribed an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or a loop diuretic long-term who have not had a computer-recorded check of their renal function and electrolytes in the previous 15 months

2a.Patients with asthma (and no history of coronary heart disease) who had been prescribed a β blocker

4. Proportions of women with a past medical history of venous or arterial thrombosis who had been prescribed the combined oral contraceptive pill

5. Patients receiving methotrexate for at least 3 months who had not had a full blood count recorded

5a or liver function test

5b in the previous 3 months

6. Patients receiving warfarin for at least 3 months who had not had a recorded check of their international normalised ratio in the previous 12 weeks

7. Patients receiving lithium for at least 3 months who had not had a recorded check of their lithium concentrations in the previous 3 months

8. Patients receiving amiodarone for at least 6 months who had not had a thyroid function test in the previous 6 months

9. Patients receiving prescriptions of methotrexate without instructions that the drug should be taken every week

10. Patients receiving prescriptions of amiodarone for at least 1 month who are receiving a dose of more than 200 mg per day Composite secondary outcome measures

Composite secondary outcome measures

11. Patients with at least one prescription problem (a combination of outcome measures 1, 2, or 4)

12. Patients with at least one monitoring problem (a combination of outcome measures 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8) In the trial protocol