Utilización de vacunas antialérgias en Aragón en 2001 / Utilization of antiallergenic vacines in Aragon along year 2001

Antecedentes y objetivos: La alergia es un problema de salud cada vez más importante. Por ello, tiene interés conocer los alérgenos concretos y su distribución en la población. Puesto que las vacunas con extractos hiposensibilizantes constituyen un tratamiento fundamental de este trastorno, mediante el análisis de la composición de los preparado usados se pueden conocer los principales alérgeno que constituyen el problema. Material y métodos: Prescripciones en receta médica oficial del Sistema Nacional de Salud de vacunas antialérgicas realizadas en las tres provincias de Aragón en el año 2001. Resultados: La distribución del número relativo de vacunaciones es muy diferente en la tres provincia . siendo casi el triple en Huesca que en Zaragoza, aunque con una estacionalidad a lo largo del año muy similar. Los tratamientos los inician casi siempre especialistas en alergología. El 44,5% de las vacunas contenían como alérgeno alguna gramínea, seguidas en importancia por las chenopodiáceas, los ácaro , los himenópteros, las oleáceas y las bacterianas. Conclusiones: Las diferencias en la frecuencia de utilización en las tres provincias difícilmente se pueden explicar exclusivamente por las características de la población, y es posible que influyan también los recursos y la organización del sistema asistencial. A pesar del papel destacado que tienen los tratamientos con extracto de pólenes de gramíneas, sus asociaciones no parecen estar estandarizada ni homologadas, sino que son diferentes en cada presentación comercial, por lo que el enfoque terapéutico resulta demasiado empírico y poco preciso. Parece necesaria la puesta en común de los criterios de actuación de los servicios de alergología de nuestra comunidad (AU)

Background and objectives: The allergy represents a health problem of increasing importance. Therefore, the knowledge of the particular allergen and it distribution over the population is interesting. Since the vaccines containing immunotherapic extracts are one basic treatment for this pathology, through the analysis of the composition of the preparations used it's possible to know the main allergens representing the problem. Material and methods: Prescriptions of antiallergenic vaccines made by the doctor of the Spain's National Health System in the three provinces of Aragon along the year 200 l. Results: The distribution of the relative arnount of vaccination is very different in the three province . being nearly three times in Huesca in comparison with Zaragoza, though with a very similar easonal nature along the year. The treatment are usually initiated by allergologists. The 44,5% of the total vaccines contained sorne gramineae, followed in importance by chenopod diseaceae. mires, hymenoptera. oleaceae and preparations of bacteria. Conclusions: It' difficult to explain the difference in the rate of use in the three province only by the characteritic of the population, being probable the influence of the resources and the organization of the health care system. In despite of the prominent role of the treatment with preparations containing gramineae pollens, its association don 't seem to be standardized or homologated. they are different in each commercial preparation: thats why the focusing of this therapy results too ernpirical and scarcely precise. It seems necessary a consensus in the profesional criteria of the unit of Allergology in our Community (AU)

[Use of hypolipemic agents in Spain, 1987-2000]. / Consumo de hipolipemiantes en España, 1987-2000.

BACKGROUND: Lipid-reducing drugs are currently among those most used and which have the greatest impact on the drug spending of the Spanish National Health Care System. At the same time, constant changeovers are taking place from one type of molecule to another within this group. METHODS: A study was made of all of the Spanish National Health Care System prescriptions filled from the treatment subgroup B04A "Lipid-Reducing Preparations" nationwide throughout the 1987-2000 period. The different active ingredients have been grouped according to the subgroups of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification. The measurement parameters employed were the number of packages, the economic cost, the number of Defined Daily Doses (DDD) and the Treatment/Day Cost (TDC). RESULTS: Lipid-reducing drug consumption for the timeframe in question totals 389,133,314,142 pesetas (2,338,738,320 euros) and 2,580,179,790 DDD. Consumption rose annually, ranging from 4,504,321,869 pesetas in 1987 to 71,389,377,528 in 2000; and from 63,594,576 to 420,878,797 DDD. The TDC rose, in turn from 71 to 170 pesetas. The subgroup showing the highest consumption was that of the statin drugs, totalling 73.4% of the total consumption by cost and 54.8% of the number of DDD's, showing a trend toward further growth. CONCLUSIONS: Lipid-reducing drugs have undergone a noticeable, constant rise throughout the timeframe under analysis, not only regarding the price, but also the number of DDD's. Statin drugs having started to be used has modified the guidelines of use for this group.

[Generic drugs in Spain: first stage]. / Medicamentos genéricos en España: primera etapa.

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the evolution of the consumption of generic medicines in the first months of their existence in our country, and the additional savings that could have been achieved if they had been used to their full potential. In parallel, to analyse the supply of these products. DESIGN: Observational, retrospective study. SETTING: The entire National Health Service. PARTICIPANTS: All medical prescriptions officially issued under the National Health System in Spain between October 1997 and December 1998. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: During this period generic medicines to the value of 1727 million pesetas (10.4 million euros) were consumed in our country. This was equivalent to 22.8 millions DDD of 18 different active principles. This figure represented 0.15% of the total consumption of pharmaceutical products in retail amount paid, and 0.17% in number of packages. The potential additional saving that could have been achieved was calculated at 13,227 million pesetas (79.5 million euros). The number of different kinds of generic medicines on sale in May 1999 was 67. CONCLUSIONS: The consumption of generic medicines in Spain is increasing steadily in absolute figures in this first stage of their existence. However, there is a long way to go before they reach their maximum potential. As such, the saving not achieved is still very substantial. Supply is also increasing steadily.

Medicamentos genéricos en España: primera etapa / Generic medicines in spain: first stage

Objetivo. Analizar la evolución del consumo de medicamentos genéricos en los primeros meses de su existencia en nuestro país, así como el ahorro potencial adicional que se habría podido conseguir con su plena utilización. Paralelamente, analizar la oferta de estos productos durante el período. Diseño. Estudio observacional, retrospectivo. Emplazamiento. Total Sistema Nacional de Salud. Población. Todas las prescripciones en receta médica oficial del Sistema Nacional de Salud producidas en España desde octubre de 1997 hasta diciembre de 1998. Medición y resultados principales. Durante el período considerado se consumieron medicamentos genéricos en nuestro país por valor de 1.727 millones de pesetas (10,4 millones de euros), correspondientes a 22,8 millones de DDD de 18 principios activos diferentes. Esta cifra representó el 0,15 por ciento del consumo total de especialidades farmacéuticas en importe a PVP y el 0,17 por ciento en número de envases. El ahorro potencial adicional que se podría haber conseguido se estimó en 13.227 millones de pesetas (79,5 millones de euros). El número de presentaciones diferentes de medicamentos genéricos comercializadas en mayo de 1999 era de 67. Conclusiones. El consumo de medicamentos genéricos en España está experimentando un constante incremento en cifras absolutas en esta primera etapa de su existencia, aunque falta mucho para que se alcance su máxima potencialidad, de modo que el ahorro dejado de lograr es todavía muy importante. La oferta también se está ampliando de modo constante (AU)

[Potential impact of measures to minimize drug costs in Aragon's primary care system]. / Impacto potencial de medidas de minimización de costes en la prestación farmacéutica en atención primaria de Aragón.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the potential saving in pharmaceutical expenditure which the use of drug products of the same composition and lower price would suppose, by three high-consumption therapeutic sub-groups. DESIGN: Retrospective observation study. SETTING: Primary care. PARTICIPANTS: All the medical prescriptions of the doctors in the 121 primary care health districts in the three provinces of the Autonomous Community of Aragon during 1997, divided into the sub-groups: peptic ulcer (AO2B), lipid-lowering (B04A) and hypotensor drugs (C02). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Consumption, cost of treatment per day and potential saving of eight active principles belonging to these 3 sub-groups were calculated. Potential overall saving reached the figure of 972 million pesetas in Aragon in 1997. CONCLUSIONS: The alternative of prescribing drugs with an identical composition and lower price offers great potential savings in pharmaceutical expenditure, and may be a useful measure to improve the efficiency of health resources, and in particular those devoted to drug prescription.

[The utilization of anti-infective agents in primary care in La Rioja]. / Utilización de antiinfecciosos en atención primaria en La Rioja.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the use of drugs to combat infection, prescribed in primary care in the La Rioja area during 1996. DESIGN: A retrospective observational study. SETTING: Primary care. PARTICIPANTS: All the anti-infectious drug prescriptions in primary care during 1996 in our province (450078 units). They are covered by the following therapeutic groups: JO1 (systemic antibiotics), JO3 (systemic chemotherapeutic drugs), JO4A (anti-tubercular), JO5A (antiviral), GO4A (antiseptic and for urinary infections) and RO5C1 (expectorants combining mucolytics and anti-infectious drugs). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: All the prescriptions for anti-infectious drugs billed in the National Health Service in La Rioja during 1996 were processed. The defined daily dose (DDD) was used as the technical unit of measurement. The DDD per 1000 inhabitants per day (DID) was used as comparative indicator. The DID for the various therapeutic groups was compared with the overall consumption of antibiotics in 1996 in La Rioja. CONCLUSIONS: Non-hospital consumption of anti-infectious drugs during 1996 in La Rioja reached 20.97 DID, which is slightly higher than in other areas. The five therapeutic groups with most prescriptions were: penicillin (8.78 DID), macrolides (4.86 DID), cephalosporins (2.48 DID), quinolones (1.25 DID), antiseptic and urinary anti-infectious drugs (1.11 DID). The new macrolides were used a lot, as were quinolones and third-generation cephalosporins. These last two groups are not first-choice drugs in the empirical treatment of pathologies common in primary care.