Original scientific paper

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DEMENTIA TREATMENT IN CROATIA

Sanja Tomasović orcid.org/0000-0001-7722-2283 ; Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital “Sveti Duh”, Zagreb, Croatia; School of Medicine Josip Juraj Strossmayer, University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Josip Sremec ; Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital “Sveti Duh”, Zagreb, Croatia
Jelena Košćak ; Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital “Sveti Duh”, Zagreb, Croatia
Nataša Klepac ; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Center Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; School of Medicine Zagreb, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Pero Draganić ; HALMED, Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Bielen ; Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital “Sveti Duh”, Zagreb, Croatia; School of Medicine Josip Juraj Strossmayer, University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia

Abstract

Background: In spite of the increase in the number of patients with dementia in countries with older population, basic
epidemiologic data are still scarce. The objective of this paper is to investigate pharmacoepidemiological characteristics of
treatment of dementia in Croatia, and to present them in the context of certain epidemiological characteristics that illustrate the
growing pressure this disease exerts on the healthcare system.
Subjects and methods: Data on medication utilization were taken from Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO) and Agency for
Medicinal Products and Medical Devices of Croatia (HALMED). Data on the number of hospital stays were supplied by Croatian
Institute of Public Health (HZJZ). Internal data on the number of outpatient examinations from the Clinical hospital “Sveti Duh”
were used as well.
Results: In the observed period (2012–2014), 4568 patients were treated with anti-dementia medications, of which 1275 (32%)
with donepezil, and 2753 (68%) with memantine. According to HALMED, the utilization of those medications is constantly
increasing, and has increased manifold from 2005 to 2014. The estimate of the proportion of treated patients with dementia aged 60
years and over is around 9.2%. The number of dementia-related hospital stays is also increasing, and has increased by 9.6% in the
last 5-year period, compared to the preceding 5-year period. The number of outpatient examinations in Clinical Hospital “Sveti
Duh” grew from 351 in 2007 to 1151 in 2015 (January 1st - October 26th).
Conclusion: The strain this condition exerts on the healthcare system is increasing yearly. In spite of the large increase in the
medication utilization over the previous years, the proportion of treated patients is still small, and further increase in their use is to
be expected. It is necessary to monitor this in the years ahead.

Keywords

dementia; epidemiolog; ymedication therapy; pharmacoepidemiology; Croatia

Hrčak ID:

175283

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/175283

Publication date:

7.6.2016.

Visits: 1.056 *