Patterns of prescription antihypertensive drug utilization and adherence to treatment guidelines in the city of Novi Sad

Background/Aim. Hypertension is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and more than a half of all health insurance expenditures for reimbursed medicines are allocated to antihypertensive drugs in Serbia. The aim of this study was to identify the antihypertensiv...

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Main Authors: Tomas Ana, Tomić Zdenko, Milijašević Boris, Ban Milica, Horvat Olga, Vukmirović Saša, Sabo Ana
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia, University of Defence, Belgrade 2016-01-01
Series:Vojnosanitetski Pregled
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0042-8450/2016/0042-84501600047T.pdf
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author Tomas Ana
Tomić Zdenko
Milijašević Boris
Ban Milica
Horvat Olga
Vukmirović Saša
Sabo Ana
author_facet Tomas Ana
Tomić Zdenko
Milijašević Boris
Ban Milica
Horvat Olga
Vukmirović Saša
Sabo Ana
author_sort Tomas Ana
collection DOAJ
description Background/Aim. Hypertension is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and more than a half of all health insurance expenditures for reimbursed medicines are allocated to antihypertensive drugs in Serbia. The aim of this study was to identify the antihypertensive drug utilization patterns among hypertensive outpatients in the city of Novi Sad, Serbia, determine the adherence to clinical guidelines and address the economic aspects of current prescribing practices. Methods. This retrospective observational study was conducted in Novi Sad over a period of six months. The data on the number of packages, size of packages, and retail price of antihypertensives issued on prescription in outpatients with the diagnosis of essential arterial hypertension was collected from all state-owned pharmacies in Novi Sad. Drug consumption was analyzed using the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC)/defined daily dose (DDD) methodology. Results. Total consumption of antihypertensives issued on prescription over 6 month period in the city of Novi sad, Serbia was 283,48 DDD per 1,000 inhabitans per day (DID). Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) were most commonly prescribed drugs, and were used 3 times more often than calcium channel blockers and 5 times more than betablockers. The consumption of diuretics and angiotensin receptor antagonists was low within all groups of outpatients. Both national and international guidelines state superiority and effectiveness of diuretics in treatment of hypertension in the elderly, but their consumption was unreasonable low despite the fact that over 70% of all antihypertensive drugs in the city of Novi Sad were dispensed in people aged > 60. The use of more expensive ACEi was observed, despite the guidelines deeming all the drugs of these class equally effective in treatment of hypertension. Conclusion. Large differences in utilization of different groups of antihypertensive agents were noted in this study. Underutilization of valuable, efficacious, and cost-effective thiazide diuretics and over use of expensive ACE inhibitors is unjustifiable. There is a potential for large savings with switching to low-price ACEi, modeling the practice of Scandinavian countries. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 41012]
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publishDate 2016-01-01
publisher Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia, University of Defence, Belgrade
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spelling doaj-art-9b3e5e97439845108a5652f8f2be92602025-08-20T02:00:34ZengMinistry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia, University of Defence, BelgradeVojnosanitetski Pregled0042-84502406-07202016-01-0173653153710.2298/VSP141119047T0042-84501600047TPatterns of prescription antihypertensive drug utilization and adherence to treatment guidelines in the city of Novi SadTomas Ana0Tomić Zdenko1Milijašević Boris2Ban Milica3Horvat Olga4Vukmirović Saša5Sabo Ana6Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Novi SadFaculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Novi SadFaculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Novi SadFaculty of Medicine, Novi SadFaculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Novi SadFaculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Novi SadFaculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Novi SadBackground/Aim. Hypertension is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and more than a half of all health insurance expenditures for reimbursed medicines are allocated to antihypertensive drugs in Serbia. The aim of this study was to identify the antihypertensive drug utilization patterns among hypertensive outpatients in the city of Novi Sad, Serbia, determine the adherence to clinical guidelines and address the economic aspects of current prescribing practices. Methods. This retrospective observational study was conducted in Novi Sad over a period of six months. The data on the number of packages, size of packages, and retail price of antihypertensives issued on prescription in outpatients with the diagnosis of essential arterial hypertension was collected from all state-owned pharmacies in Novi Sad. Drug consumption was analyzed using the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC)/defined daily dose (DDD) methodology. Results. Total consumption of antihypertensives issued on prescription over 6 month period in the city of Novi sad, Serbia was 283,48 DDD per 1,000 inhabitans per day (DID). Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) were most commonly prescribed drugs, and were used 3 times more often than calcium channel blockers and 5 times more than betablockers. The consumption of diuretics and angiotensin receptor antagonists was low within all groups of outpatients. Both national and international guidelines state superiority and effectiveness of diuretics in treatment of hypertension in the elderly, but their consumption was unreasonable low despite the fact that over 70% of all antihypertensive drugs in the city of Novi Sad were dispensed in people aged > 60. The use of more expensive ACEi was observed, despite the guidelines deeming all the drugs of these class equally effective in treatment of hypertension. Conclusion. Large differences in utilization of different groups of antihypertensive agents were noted in this study. Underutilization of valuable, efficacious, and cost-effective thiazide diuretics and over use of expensive ACE inhibitors is unjustifiable. There is a potential for large savings with switching to low-price ACEi, modeling the practice of Scandinavian countries. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 41012]http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0042-8450/2016/0042-84501600047T.pdfantihypertensive agentsSerbiacost-benefit analysiseconomics, pharmaceuticaldrug utilization review
spellingShingle Tomas Ana
Tomić Zdenko
Milijašević Boris
Ban Milica
Horvat Olga
Vukmirović Saša
Sabo Ana
Patterns of prescription antihypertensive drug utilization and adherence to treatment guidelines in the city of Novi Sad
Vojnosanitetski Pregled
antihypertensive agents
Serbia
cost-benefit analysis
economics, pharmaceutical
drug utilization review
title Patterns of prescription antihypertensive drug utilization and adherence to treatment guidelines in the city of Novi Sad
title_full Patterns of prescription antihypertensive drug utilization and adherence to treatment guidelines in the city of Novi Sad
title_fullStr Patterns of prescription antihypertensive drug utilization and adherence to treatment guidelines in the city of Novi Sad
title_full_unstemmed Patterns of prescription antihypertensive drug utilization and adherence to treatment guidelines in the city of Novi Sad
title_short Patterns of prescription antihypertensive drug utilization and adherence to treatment guidelines in the city of Novi Sad
title_sort patterns of prescription antihypertensive drug utilization and adherence to treatment guidelines in the city of novi sad
topic antihypertensive agents
Serbia
cost-benefit analysis
economics, pharmaceutical
drug utilization review
url http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0042-8450/2016/0042-84501600047T.pdf
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