Utilization of Lipid-Lowering Drugs in Spain
Objective: To investigate the pattern of use of lipid-lowering drugs in Spain between 1986 and 1998, with particular emphasis on the impact of drug utilization following the marketing of statins in Spain.
Design: Information on drug utilization was obtained from the ECOM (Especialidades Consumo de Medicamentos) database of the Spanish Ministry of Health, which contains the number of packages sold in community pharmacies and charged to the National Health System. Data were expressed in defined daily doses (DDD) per 1000 inhabitants per day.
Main Outcomes and Results: The use of lipid-lowering drugs increased from 2.45 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day (1986) to more than 19.3 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day (1998). Over the period studied, fibrates (until 1995), and statins (thereafter), were the most widely used lipid-lowering drugs. The consumption of probucol and other lipid-lowering drugs, including fixed-dose combinations, decreased during this period.
Conclusion: The consumption of lipid-lowering drugs has increased dramatically in Spain during the last few years. This increase did not seem to be directly influenced by the information derived from important clinical trials. The introduction of statins has markedly modified the pattern of use of lipid-lowering drugs in Spain. Some indicators point to a greater rationality in the consumption of these drugs.
High levels of plasma cholesterol have been shown to constitute a major risk in the development of atherosclerosis. Cardiovascular diseases in general, and coronary heart disease in particular, represent the primary cause of mortality in Western countries, and account for 40% of all deaths in the US and in Western Europe.
Since 1961, when the first lipid-lowering drug was introduced, medication along with diet has been the cornerstone of atherosclerosis prevention. Nevertheless, even though lipid-lowering drugs effectively decrease plasma cholesterol levels and reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease, it has not been until recently that they have been shown to be effective in reducing mortality. In this context, the aim of the present study was to investigate the evolution of the consumption of lipid-lowering drugs in Spain over a period of 13 years to identify possible influences on drug utilization following the marketing of statins in this country.
Objective: To investigate the pattern of use of lipid-lowering drugs in Spain between 1986 and 1998, with particular emphasis on the impact of drug utilization following the marketing of statins in Spain.
Design: Information on drug utilization was obtained from the ECOM (Especialidades Consumo de Medicamentos) database of the Spanish Ministry of Health, which contains the number of packages sold in community pharmacies and charged to the National Health System. Data were expressed in defined daily doses (DDD) per 1000 inhabitants per day.
Main Outcomes and Results: The use of lipid-lowering drugs increased from 2.45 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day (1986) to more than 19.3 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day (1998). Over the period studied, fibrates (until 1995), and statins (thereafter), were the most widely used lipid-lowering drugs. The consumption of probucol and other lipid-lowering drugs, including fixed-dose combinations, decreased during this period.
Conclusion: The consumption of lipid-lowering drugs has increased dramatically in Spain during the last few years. This increase did not seem to be directly influenced by the information derived from important clinical trials. The introduction of statins has markedly modified the pattern of use of lipid-lowering drugs in Spain. Some indicators point to a greater rationality in the consumption of these drugs.
High levels of plasma cholesterol have been shown to constitute a major risk in the development of atherosclerosis. Cardiovascular diseases in general, and coronary heart disease in particular, represent the primary cause of mortality in Western countries, and account for 40% of all deaths in the US and in Western Europe.
Since 1961, when the first lipid-lowering drug was introduced, medication along with diet has been the cornerstone of atherosclerosis prevention. Nevertheless, even though lipid-lowering drugs effectively decrease plasma cholesterol levels and reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease, it has not been until recently that they have been shown to be effective in reducing mortality. In this context, the aim of the present study was to investigate the evolution of the consumption of lipid-lowering drugs in Spain over a period of 13 years to identify possible influences on drug utilization following the marketing of statins in this country.