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. 2021 Jun 1;18(11):5944.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18115944.

Trends in the Use of Anxiolytics in Castile and Leon, Spain, between 2015-2020: Evaluating the Impact of COVID-19

Miryam Sánchez Díaz  1 , María Luisa Martín-Calvo  2 , Ramona Mateos-Campos  3
Affiliations

Trends in the Use of Anxiolytics in Castile and Leon, Spain, between 2015-2020: Evaluating the Impact of COVID-19

Miryam Sánchez Díaz et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Anxiolytics (N05B) are one of the most widely used pharmacological groups. This study aimed to analyze the progression of the consumption of anxiolytics (ATC classification: N05B) dispensed in pharmacies in Castile and Leon, Spain, from 2015 to 2020, with a special focus on the possible impact of COVID-19 on the use of these drugs. A quantitative-qualitative analysis of usage was carried out using the total number of packs and the packs per 1000 inhabitants. Overall, the use of anxiolytics grew by 14.41% during 2015-2020. The most commonly used drugs were the short-acting benzodiazepine derivatives lorazepam (whose use increased by 15.18%) and alprazolam (whose use increased by 21.40%), and the dispensing of the long-acting derivative diazepam increased the most, by 31.83%. Anxiolytics consumption increased significantly in 2020 and peaked in March. The pattern of use remained the same in 2020. The consumption of anxiolytics has continued to increase in Castile and Leon over the last six years. The COVID-19 pandemic situation affected the dispensing of these drugs, causing a sharp increase in prescriptions, especially during March, when the confinement of the population was initiated.

Keywords: COVID-19; anxiolytics; drug use.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Progression of the consumption of anxiolytics by calculating annual variations.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Monthly progression of the consumption of anxiolytics 2016–2020.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Progression of the new cases of COVID-19 per 1000 inhabitants in Castile and Leon in comparison with number of packs of anxiolytics consumed per 1000 inhabitants in Castile and Leon.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Progression of the use of anxiolytic drugs as a percentage in 2020.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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