Trends in the Use of Anxiolytics in Castile and Leon, Spain, between 2015-2020: Evaluating the Impact of COVID-19

Trends in the Use of Anxiolytics in Castile and Leon, Spain, between 2015-2020: Evaluating the Impact of COVID-19

Anxiolytics (N05B) are one of the most widely used pharmacological groups. This study aimed to analyze the progression of the consumption of anxiolytics (ATC classification: N05B) dispensed in pharmacies in Castile and Leon, Spain, from 2015 to 2020, with a special focus on the possible impact of CO...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 18; no. 11; p. 5944
Main Authors: Sánchez Díaz, Miryam, Martín-Calvo, María Luisa, Mateos-Campos, Ramona
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01-06-2021
MDPI
Subjects:
Alprazolam
Anti-Anxiety Agents - therapeutic use
Anxiolytics
Benzodiazepines
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Diazepam
Dispensing
Drug Prescriptions
Drug stores
Drugs
Humans
Lorazepam
Market shares
Pandemics
Pharmacy
Population
Prescription drugs
Psychotropic drugs
Qualitative analysis
SARS-CoV-2
Spain
Trends
Spain
COVID-19
drug use
anxiolytics
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Summary:Anxiolytics (N05B) are one of the most widely used pharmacological groups. This study aimed to analyze the progression of the consumption of anxiolytics (ATC classification: N05B) dispensed in pharmacies in Castile and Leon, Spain, from 2015 to 2020, with a special focus on the possible impact of COVID-19 on the use of these drugs. A quantitative-qualitative analysis of usage was carried out using the total number of packs and the packs per 1000 inhabitants. Overall, the use of anxiolytics grew by 14.41% during 2015-2020. The most commonly used drugs were the short-acting benzodiazepine derivatives lorazepam (whose use increased by 15.18%) and alprazolam (whose use increased by 21.40%), and the dispensing of the long-acting derivative diazepam increased the most, by 31.83%. Anxiolytics consumption increased significantly in 2020 and peaked in March. The pattern of use remained the same in 2020. The consumption of anxiolytics has continued to increase in Castile and Leon over the last six years. The COVID-19 pandemic situation affected the dispensing of these drugs, causing a sharp increase in prescriptions, especially during March, when the confinement of the population was initiated.
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ISSN:1660-4601
1661-7827
1660-4601
DOI:10.3390/ijerph18115944