| Abstract [eng] |
J. Ivanova's master's thesis "Consumption of Antidepressants in Lithuania", scientific supervisor prof. J. Gulbinovič; Institute of Biomedical Sciences (Pharmacy and Pharmacology Center) of Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine - Vilnius, 2024. Aim: to analyze the trends in the consumption of antidepressants in Lithuania from 2018 to 2021. Aim object: characteristics of use of pharmacotherapeutic ATC group N06A (antidepressants) and consumption of this pharmacotherapeutic group in Lithuania. Method: data collection and systematization were performed using the State Data Management System (VDV), which stores information on the sales of antidepressants related to the electronic prescription database. This database stores all the data on drug dispensing in pharmacies based on reimbursable and non-reimbursable prescriptions. In addition, data on wholesale sales of antidepressants were collected from the State Medicines Control Service (VVKT). The population of Lithuania from 2018 to 2021 is taken from the Official Statistics Portal. The consumption of medicinal products was calculated using the ATC/DDD methodology. Tasks: 1) To assess the use of antidepressants in the Lithuanian population from 2018-2021; 2) to analyze the demographic indicators of patients taking antidepressants and the diagnoses for which antidepressants are prescribed; 3) to analyze the differences in antidepressant consumption and reimbursements among the counties of Lithuania. Results: In 2018, the total consumption of antidepressants had increased by 19.49 percent. E-prescriptions of antidepressants have increased significantly by about 124.39 percent from 2018 to 2021. Antidepressants of the SSRI group are widely consumed in Lithuania, the most commonly used drug being escitalopram (average -9.6 DID). Electronic prescriptions are issued more often for women (average -36.1 DID) than for men (average -11.14 DID). Elderly patients, that is, 70 years and older, consumed significantly more antidepressants than people in other age groups. A similar age distribution for antidepressant prescriptions was observed between men and women. Most antidepressants are used to treat mental and behavioral disorders. Patients in Tauragė, Telšiai, and Marijampole were prescribed more antidepressants than others. The least number of antidepressant prescriptions went to patients in Vilnius, Alytus and Klaipėda counties. In the counties of Lithuania, approximately 76.55 percent. medicines were reimbursed; at that time, non-reimbursed medicines accounted for approximately 23.45 percent. Conclusions: 1) The overall consumption of antidepressants and the issuance of electronic antidepressant prescriptions in Lithuania increased from 2018 to 2021. 2) According to the analysis of electronic prescriptions, women consumed three times more antidepressants than men. Also, a patient aged 70 and older uses more antidepressants than a younger patient. Antidepressants are most commonly prescribed for the treatment of recurrent depressive disorder. 3) Antidepressant consumption, according to electronic prescription data, varied across regions of Lithuania, ranging from 18.68 to 37.23 DID. The highest consumption was in Tauragė County, while the lowest was in Vilnius County. Recommendations: It is recommended to continue monitoring and analyzing antidepressant consumption in Lithuania, comparing it with antidepressant usage in other (especially neighboring) countries. It would be beneficial to inform the psychiatric community about the obtained results. |
