| Abstract [eng] |
Introduction: Pain is a widespread issue. In Lithuania, the use of opioids for pain treatment is lower than in many other countries, so it is important to continuously evaluate opioid consumption trends to ensure effective and safe pain management. The aim of the study: to analyse the consumption of opioids in Lithuania from 2018 to 2021. Objectives:1)to analyse the trends in the consumption of different opioids in Lithuania from 2018 to 2021;2)to determine the differences in opioid consumption using the methodology of defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in different patient gender and age groups, based on the ICD-10-AM disease classification codes; 3)to analyse opioid consumption by place of residence (region). Methods: during the research, data from the State Data Agency on prescribed opioids from 2018-2021 were used. Drug consumption is assessed using the ATC/DDD (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System/ Determined Daily Dose) methodology. Drug consumption is presented as the number of defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day. Consumption trends are analysed based on patient age group and gender, region, and ICD-10-AM disease codes. Results: During this study, opioids usage in Lithuania from 2018 to 2021 where analysed. An increase in opioid consumption was observed during this period, especially of fentanyl and tramadol, which may indicate a greater need for chronic pain management. Gender differences in opioid use are emphasized in this study, with higher consumption observed among men than women. Consumption increased significantly for both genders over the studied period. Regional differences also emerged, highlighting varying levels of consumption in different regions of Lithuania, which may be related to healthcare accessibility and treatment methods. Analyzing opioid consumption according to ICD-10 disease codes, it was noted that opioids are mostly prescribed for treating oncological diseases, especially tramadol and fentanyl, which are commonly used in treating various forms of tumors and connective tissue and musculoskeletal disorders, especially dorsopathies. This reflects different levels of pain and treatment needs for various diseases. Conclusions: 1. The overall consumption of opioids through issued electronic prescriptions in Lithuania increased steadily during the period from 2018 to 2021, reaching 10.02 DDD/1000/inhab. /day units. Consumption of tramadol and fentanyl showed the most significant growth. 2. Opioid consumption in Lithuania varied among different age and gender groups: on average, men consumed opioids 1.14 times more than women. The highest consumption was observed in the age groups of 50-59 and 60-69 years. When assessing changes in opioid consumption, an increase was noted in all age groups, particularly in the 50-59 and 60-69 age groups. Significant increases in the combined consumption of codeine, morphine, fentanyl, and tramadol were observed in these age groups. 3. When assessing consumption based on the ICD-10-AM code, the highest consumption for oncological diseases was observed for the disease code C15-26, and for connective tissue and musculoskeletal disorders, it was the disease code M40-M54. 4. Opioid consumption varies significantly across different regions of Lithuania, and these regional differences can be explained by various factors, such as different healthcare facility practices, differences in lifestyle among residents, and regional concerns regarding pain management. |
