engleski

ACE inhibitors drugs usage in Croatia and Slovenia during the nine-year period

Introduction: The objective of this study was to analyze ACE inhibitors (plain and combinations) drugs usage (ATC subgroups: C09A and C09B) in two mid European, neighboring countries (Croatia and Slovenia) from 2000 to 2008. Further, the aim was to identify the generic drugs usage in each country, the price for DDD for original and generic drugs, and to identify the most prescribed drugs in each group and changes in the usage of these drugs during the nine-year period. Materials and methods: The data have been obtained from the International Medical Statistics database for Croatia and Slovenia. Drugs usage is presented in defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day (DDD/1000) according to the WHO Methodology. Financial expenditure data are presented in Euros. An average cost per DDD was calculated for each drug group. Results: The total usage of ACE inhibitors is more than 2.3 times higher in Slovenia (173.286 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day) than in Croatia in 2008 (74.969 DDD/1000/inhabitants/day). The total usage of ACE inhibitors in combinations is 1.2 times higher in Croatia (47.373 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day) than in Slovenia in 2008. (38.710 DDD/1000/inhabitants/day). In ATC C09A subgroup the rate of generics in 2008 was 57.81% in Croatia vs. 61.32% in Slovenia. The most prescribed ACE inhibitors in Croatia in 2008 were lizinopril and ramipril, and enalapril in Slovenia. The average cost per 1 DDD for ACE inhibitors decreased in both countries and is lower in Slovenia (0.16 EUR) than in Croatia in 2008 (0.18 EUR). The average cost for ACE inhibitors in combinations is higher than cost of plain ACE inhibitors in both countries, but it also decreased during the investigated period (in 2008 in Slovenia it was 0.33 EUR/DDD and in Croatia 0.30 EUR/DDD). Conclusion: During the investigated period the usage of the ACE inhibitors, both plain and with combinations increased in both countries. The rate of generic prescription among ACE inhibitors (both plain and combinations) decreased during the investigated period in both countries probably due to the entrance of new, innovative drugs. The prescription patterns are different and the prescription of ACE inhibitors is higher in Slovenia. Prescription of ACE inhibitors in combinations was rising higher than the prescription of plain ACE inhibitors. Measures for price description have been successfully implemented in both countries and the outcome is the price decrease, for both original and generic drugs. Although the prescription of the generics is high, it should be further promoted due to their influence on costs savings.

ACE inhibitors; usage; Croatia; Slovenia

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