engleski

Changes In Antihypertensive Drugs Usage in Croatia During the Fourteen-year period

OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) represents a huge burden to society in terms of morbidity, mortality and economic losses. Therapy of CVDs has a huge impact to the financial expenses of healthcare systems. Monitoring of national trends in hypertension treatment can provide important insight into the effectiveness of efforts for reducing cardiovascular diseases. The choice of pharmacological treatment for people with hypertension has important both therapeutic and financial implications. The aim of our study was to identify and analyze changes in the usage of common used groups of antihypertensive drugs (AH) in Croatia from 2000-2013 and to identify the changes in prescription patterns as well as the average price for 1 DDD. METHODS: Data on the consumption have been obtained from the database IMS (International Medical Statistics) for Croatia. According to the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Drugs Statistics Methodology annual volumes of drugs are presented in defined daily doses/1000 inhabitants/day (DDD/1000), while financial expenditure data are presented in Euros (€). RESULTS: Consumption of CV drugs in Croatia during period from 2000-2013 increased 146.97% (from 190.186 DDD/1000 in 2000. to 469.67 DDD/1000 in 2013), while the financial expenditure in the same period increased 85.81% (from 70.6 mil € in 2000 to 131.2 mil € in 2013), but achieved its maximum in 2006 (149.1 mil €). Prescription patterns in the same period changed, and the most frequently prescribed subgroup were Agents acting on RAS. Their share among antihypertensive drugs increased from 39.13% (2000) to 52.67% (2013). On the opposite, the share of prescribed Diuretics in the same period decreased from 20.16% in 2000 to 12.25% in 2013. CONCLUSION: Prescription of CV drugs in Croatia during 2000- 2013 continuously increased. Prescription patterns among antihypertensive drugs changed and the average cost per DDD gradually decreased. Changes in prescription patterns could be possible result of legal changes introduced by Croatian National Insurance Company and pharmaceutical promotion of new AH drugs (particularly advertising). Changes in price of 1 DDD could be mainly result of the introduction of generics and the implementation of restrictive measures on prices on the both original and generic drugs on Croatian drug market.

Cardiovascular drugs ; Hypertension treatment ; Antihypertensive drugs ; Usage ; Prescription patterns

nije evidentirano