Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
16th Congress of the European Association for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Rotterdam, Hollanda, 8 - 11 Haziran 2024, ss.261
Introduction: Imposed restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic prompted lifestyle modifications, potentially leading to unwanted outcomes on cardiometabolic indicators such as plasma lipids. These alterations could have been reflected to the consumption patterns of lipid-lowering medications, including statins. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the consumption of statins as per intensity categories throughout the periods determined by COVID-19 restrictions. Methods: We obtained nationwide outpatient drug sales data for 01.03.2018-31.12.2022 from IQVIA Turkey and the prescribing projection data for the corresponding period. Statin utilization was examined in this sub-analysis of a comprehensive study, which included six main drug groups of interest. Average monthly statin consumption and costs, along with the quarterly prescribed statin levels, were evaluated in three periods determined as “before restrictions” (BfR, 01.03.2018-31.03.2020), “during restrictions” (DuR, 01.04.2020-31.03.2022), and “after restrictions” (AfR, 01.04.2022-31.12.2022), and stratified by three statin intensity categories. Results: Most of the consumed statins were moderate-intensity (82.1% in BfR to 74.8% in AfR), followed by high-intensity (17.4% in BfR to 25.0% in AfR). Average monthly consumption of high-intensity statins rose from 289.4±41.0 thousand units in BfR to 494.7±92.9 thousand units in DuR (p<0.001) and increased further to 628.6±85.8 thousand units in AfR (p<0.001 vs. both previous periods). Use of moderate-intensity statins escalated from 1.4±0.3 million units in BfR to 1.8±0.4 million units in DuR (p<0.001) and reached 1.9±0.3 million units in AfR (p=0.001 vs. BfR). The number of prescribed high-intensity statins diminished from 347.3±29.9 thousand units in BfR to 229.2±48.4 thousand units in DuR (p=0.006) while escalating above initial levels in 527.0±162.5 thousand units in AfR (p=0.002 vs. BfR, p<0.001 vs. DuR). Prescribed moderate-intensity statins decreased from 1.9±0.04 million units in BfR to 1.1±0.2 million units in DuR (p<0.001) and returned to 1.9±0.5 million units in AfR (p>0.05 vs. BfR, p<0.001 vs. DuR). Across both high- and moderate-intensity statins, repeat prescriptions were decreased in DuR (p<0.01 for both) and increased in AfR, whereas new prescriptions were stable throughout the periods. All intensity categories demonstrated expenditure trends similar to that of consumption. Conclusions: We have shown an increase in statin utilization, notably in high-intensity statins. Increased consumption and prescribing of high-intensity statins after the removal of restrictions may imply worsening of cardiometabolic parameters, forcing more intense lipid-lowering pharmacotherapy.