Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the evolution of antidepressants outside hospital consumption (therapeutic subgroup N06A) in the health area of Zamora since 1996 to 1999, and also to rate the impact of the most recently marketed drugs introduction. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. SETTING: Primary care. METHODOLOGY: All antidepressants containers dispensed in Zamora with prescription of the Seguridad Social in the 1996-1999 period are obtained from SIFAR (Pharmacy Management Informatic System), computing defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants day (DHD) for each drug. RESULTS: An increase of 47% in antidepressants whole consumption is observed, progressively since 1996 to 1999: 18.91 DHD (1996); 22.09 DHD (1997); 24.67 DHD (1998); 27.85 DHD (1999).ISRS (88%) and heterocyclics (56%) increase in this period, whereas IMAO (71%) and tricyclic antidepressants (14%) decrease. CONCLUSION: Antidepressant whole consumption experiments an outstanding increase in the area of Zamora. Recently marketed drugs utilisation increases as well, superseding classical antidepressants. The five most used drugs in 1999 were, in decreasing order, paroxetine, fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram and venlafaxine. These last three ones got the most outstanding rise in the reviewed period.