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PRESCRIBING CHANGES IN ANXIOLYTICS AND ANTIDEPRESSANTS IN SLOVENIA

Vesna Švab ; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Maja Šubelj ; National Institute of Public Health, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Gaj Vidmar ; University Rehabilitation Institute, Republic of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Sažetak

Background: The ratio of anxiolytics to antidepressants is an indicator of the quality of treatment of depression and anxiety in
primary care. The objective of the study was to investigate the prescription of anxiolytics and antidepressants among Slovenian
family physicians, including patient demographics and possible time-trends.
Subjects and methods: An exploratory survey and register-based analysis of anxiolytic and antidepressant prescriptions in 2005
and 2008 was performed. Drugs included in the study were classified according to an Anatomical-Therapeutic-Chemical (ATC) drug
classification system, and ATC data were used to calculate defined daily doses (DDD) per 1,000 practice population per day.
Descriptive analysis of anxiolytic/antidepressant ratio by patients’ age, gender and region of residency was performed.
Results: Total amount of prescribed antidepressant drugs increased by 45% during the observed 3-year period, while total
prescribing of anxiolytics decreased by 14%, leading to the anxiolytics/antidepressants ratio diminishing from 1 to about 0.5. The
highest reduction in the ratio was observed in the northeast region, characterised by high social deprivation and one of the highest
suicide rates in Europe. The highest prescribing of anxiolytics and antidepressants was observed in the central region around the
capital Ljubljana.
Conclusions: The reduction of anxiolytic prescribing and increase in antidepressant prescribing indicates improvement in
prescribing practice of Slovenian family physicians. There are big variations in prescribing among different Slovenian regions,
which are attributable to the number of psychiatrists and access to psychiatric treatment.

Ključne riječi

family physicians; drug prescriptions; anxiolytics; antidepressants; ATC/DDD methodology

Hrčak ID:

76815

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/76815

Datum izdavanja:

30.6.2011.

Posjeta: 907 *