Consumption of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in Serbia: a comparison with Croatia and Denmark during 2005-2008.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the amount and pattern of use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in Serbia and to compare these parameters with those in Croatia and Denmark. The prescribing pattern of NSAIDs in Serbia as a direct indicator of physicians' knowledge of these agents was also assessed.


METHODS
The use of NSAIDs in Serbia, Croatia, and Denmark was analyzed during a 4-year period (2005-2008). Data were retrieved from the annual reports of the Agency for Drugs and Medical Devices of Serbia, Croatia, and Denmark. Data on prescribing behavior were obtained from the Health Insurance Fund of Serbia and represent NSAIDs issued by prescription between 2005 and 2008. Results were expressed as the number of defined daily doses/1000 inhabitants/day. The drug utilization 90% method was also used.


RESULTS
The total consumption of NSAIDs in Serbia was higher than that in Croatia and Denmark. Diclofenac accounted for approximately 50% of NSAID consumption during the observation period, followed (in much smaller quantities) by ibuprofen. The most commonly prescribed medicine was diclofenac, followed, in much smaller amounts, by ibuprofen. There was no trend of a reduced consumption of diclofenac or of an increased use of ibuprofen during the study period


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that factors other than evidence-based medicine have a dominant effect on the use of NSAIDs in Serbia. Targeted education from independent sources in the prescribing, dispensing, and use of drugs is important to improve the quality of the prescribing behavior and the use of NSAIDs.
Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Hajduk Veljkova 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia. mijatovic.vesna@yahoo.com
Vesna
V
Mijatović
Jelena
J
Calasan
Olga
O
Horvat
Ana
A
Sabo
Zdenko
Z
Tomić
Vukašin
V
Radulović
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017523:Croatia; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D044962:Data Compression / Q000379:methods; D003718:Denmark; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000639:trends; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D055771:Serbia
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004008:Diclofenac; D007052:Ibuprofen