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Survey of prescriptions of antihypertensive drugs in Lithuania in Siauliai district
Baubinas, Haroldas | Valstybinė ligonių kasa prie Sveikatos apsaugos ministerijos |
Ozolienė, Dalia | Valstybinė ligonių kasa prie Sveikatos apsaugos ministerijos |
Aim To evaluate the consumption of antihypertensive medicines in Lithuania in 2003. Methods The usage of antihypertensive drugs was studied in Siauliai district in Lithuania in 2003. The information about drug utilization was obtained from databases of Lithuanian Patient Funds. Data were presented in defined daily doses (DDDs) per 1000 inhabitants per day and as an indicator of the quality of drug prescribing, the DU90% was used. Results Most popular classes of drugs according to the ATC classification for hypertension treatment were as follows: ACE inhibitors (60.55%), calcium-channel blockers (17.6%), beta-blockers (8.9%), thiazides (5.4%), combination of enalapril and hydrochlortiazide (4.4%), other diuretics (0.7%). The average of overall drug prescriptions was 111.23 DDD/ 1000 inhabitants/day. The most frequently prescribed drugs were (i) enalapril (44.36 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day), (ii) ramipril (9.09 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day), (iii) fosinopril (8.23 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day), (iv) amlodipine (7.23 DDD/1000 inhabitants/ day) and (v) lacidipine (3.5 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day) that accounted for 70% of all prescriptions. Conclusion The generic drugs account for 48.1% (enalapril takes the major part, 39.8%) and ethics 38.6% (according to DU90%) of all antihypertensive drugs. Thiazide diuretics take the tenth position in IUPubMed1987-http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?90% and account for <10% of all antihypertensive drugs.