5 most consumpted opioid analgesics in Slovakia in the year 2006--comparison to five other countries (Finland, Norway, Denmark, Spain, Australia).
BACKGROUND
Opioid analgesics are drugs of choice in the treatment of moderate and severe malignant or noncancer pain. Consumption data helps us to evaluate the status of country's public health.


METHODS
We analysed the consumption of opioid analgesics from ATC class N02A in Slovakia in the year 2006 and compared it with five other countries -- Finland, Norway, Denmark, Spain and Australia. We then calculated drugs that accounted for 90% of the total volume of DDDs in the year 2006.


RESULTS
Slovakia showed a dominance of tramadol consumption that constituted three quarters of the total group consumption. Tramadol is the commonest consumed opioid analgesic in all observed countries (in Norway it constituted only 35% of total group consumption, whereas in Slovakia it was 72%).


CONCLUSIONS
Opioid consumption in Slovakia is increasing, but comparison with the Nordic countries, Spain and Australia showed a significantly lower consumption. Exception is tramadol with the highest consumption in Slovakia.


CONCLUSIONS
Observed trends in consumption indicate a well known accent of the Nordic countries on treatment of pain. Opiod consumption in Slovakia continues to stay low (Tab. 1, Fig. 1, Ref. 10). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.
Hudec
R
R
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia. dr.hudec@gmail.com
Bozekova
L
L
Foltan
V
V
Tisonova
J
J
Kriska
M
M
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001315:Australia; D003718:Denmark; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D009664:Norway; D018154:Slovakia; D013030:Spain
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid