Term: Defined Daily Dose (DDD)

Glossary Definition

Last Updated: 2005-11-29

Definition:

One of four measures of intensity of pharmaceutical use, defined daily dose (DDD) is the assumed average maintenance dose per day for a drug product when used for its major indication in everyday practice. It standardizes the measurement of drug utilization within and between drug entities and can be used to describe drug utilization across a population, and measure various aspects of intensity. A clinical measure can also be calculated. This is a technical unit of measurement and does not necessarily reflect the actual amount or dose used; it is also limited to solid drug forms only. DDDs are assigned per Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Classification 4th level by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology in Norway.

Related concepts 

• Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Classification System
• Calculating Costs/Expenditures for Pharmaceuticals
• Dose Intensity
• Drug Classification Systems

Related terms 

• Access to Pharmaceutical Care
• American Hospital Formulary Service (AHFS) Pharmacologic-Therapeutic Classification System
• Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Drug Classification System
• Benzodiazepine DDDs of Users
• Days of Medication Therapy
• Dose Intensity
• Drug Data Support Files
• Drug Identification Number (DIN) Master File
• Drug Utilization Indicator
• Intensity of (Pharmaceutical) Use
• Number of Drugs (Different) Dispensed
• Number of Prescriptions Dispensed
• Opioid Defined Daily Doses (DDDs)
• Prescribed Daily Dose (PDD)
• Prescribed Days Supplied

Links 

• World Health Organization (WHO) Web Site - Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology - Definition of Defined Daily Dose (DDD)

References 

• Martens PJ, Fransoo R, McKeen N, The Need to Know Team, Burland E, Jebamani L, Burchill C, De Coster C, Ekuma O, Prior H, Chateau D, Robinson R, Metge C. Patterns of Regional Mental Illness Disorder Diagnoses and Service Use in Manitoba: A Population-Based Study. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2004. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)
• Metge C, Black C, Peterson S, Kozyrskyj A, Roos NP, Bogdanovic B. Analysis of Patterns of Pharmaceutical Use in Manitoba, 1996: Key Findings - A POPULIS Project. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Evaluation, 1999. [Report] [Summary] (View)
• Metge C, Kozyrskyj A, Dahl M, Yogendran M, Roos NP. Pharmaceuticals: Focussing on Appropriate Utilization. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2003. [Report] [Summary] (View)
• Metge C, Black C, Peterson S, Kozyrskyj AL. The population's use of pharmaceuticals. Med Care 1999;37(6 Suppl):JS42-JS59. [Abstract] (View)
• Metge CJ, Blanchard JF, Peterson S, Bernstein CN. Use of pharmaceuticals by inflammatory bowel disease patients: a population-based study. Am J Gastroenterol 2001;96(12):3348-3355. [Abstract] (View)
• Morgan SG, Kozyrskyj A, Metge C, Roos NP. Pharmaceuticals: Therapeutic interchange and pricing policies. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2003. [Report] [Summary] (View)
• Sketris IS, Metge C, Shevchuk Y, Comeau DG, Kephart GC, Blackburn J, MacCara M, Laturnas A. Comparison of anti-infective drug use in elderly persons in Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan, Canada: relationship to drug insurance reimbursement policies. Am J Geriatr Pharmacother 2004;2(1):24-35. [Abstract] (View)

Term used in 

• Martens P, Nickel N, Forget E, Lix L, Turner D, Prior H, Walld R, Soodeen RA, Rajotte L, Ekuma O. The Cost of Smoking: A Manitoba Study. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2015. [Report] [Summary] [Updates and Errata] [Additional Materials] (View)
• Martens PJ, Bartlett J, Burland E, Prior H, Burchill C, Huq S, Romphf L, Sanguins J, Carter S, Bailly A. Profile of Metis Health Status and Healthcare Utilization in Manitoba: A Population-Based Study. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2010. [Report] [Summary] [Updates and Errata] [Additional Materials] (View)
• Raymond C, Metge C, Alessi-Severini S, Dahl M, Schultz J, Guenette W. Pharmaceutical Use in Manitoba: Opportunities to Optimize Use. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2010. [Report] [Summary] (View)