[Antibiotic consumption (1993-1996) in primary care in a health area with a high rate of bacterial resistance].
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the consumption of antibiotics and the consumption trend for 1993 to 1996 in Primary Care in a health area with high rates of bacterial resistance.


METHODS
Comparative retrospective analysis.


METHODS
Costa de Ponent Primary Care area, with a census of 1,158,098 inhabitants.


METHODS
Those belonging to the health area who took antibiotics during the study period.


METHODS
Data were obtained from the records of the Catalan Health Service. As a measurement of consumption of various antibiotics, the daily defined dose (DDD)/1000 inhabitants/day (DID).


RESULTS
The DID total was very high, 17,048, a light increase from 1993 to 1996 (+2.4%). The groups which increased were cephalosporins by 42.8% and macrolides by 12.2%.


CONCLUSIONS
The total consumption of antibiotics was very high and consonant with the high rate of bacterial resistance detected in our area in recent years. The progressive consumption of the most recently introduced antibiotics was not accompanied by a proportionate decrease in the consumption of others. The rationalisation of antibiotic use and the formation of Antibiotic Policy Committees in the Primary Care field should be a priority public health objective.
Millet Medina
F J
FJ
ABS Centre, Unitat Docent de Medicina Familiar i Comunitària, DAP L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona.
Gracia Aguirre
S
S
Madridejos Mora
R
R
Solé López
J
J
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006801:Humans; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
Consumo de antibióticos (1993-1996) en la atención primaria de un área sanitaria con una tasa elevada de resistencias bacterianas.