Trends in the use of statins in Lithuania on 2005 – 2007 years

Objective: To compare statins according to the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics within the drug class and to perform the comprehensive analysis of statins consumption in Lithuania between 2005 and 2007 years. Methods: MEDLINE database was searched to identify and evaluate all literature relating to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic chareacteristics of statins. The statins sales data on units and wholesale prices in all Lithuanian regions over three years (2005 – 2007) were obtained from SoftDent, JSC database. Drugs were classified according to the Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical system and use was quantified in terms of defined daily doses. The consumption of statins was calculated by DDD methodology and expressed as DDD per 1.000 inhabitants per day. Expenditures were calculated using retail drug costs noted in basic price catalogue for reimbursement medicines, for each year separately. Pharmacoeconomic calculations were done according to cost minimization and reference price methodologies.Results: According to meta-analysis, Nice (2006 years) recommendations and clinical trials data statins are therapeutically equivalent medicines. The total consumption of these drugs increased from 3.9 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day in 2005 and reached the value 8.4 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day in 2007 in Lithuania, so the total consumption of statins increased by 53.6% over three years (2005 – 2007) period. Comparing with statins consumption in other countries, this meaning... [to full text]