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. 2023 Dec 11:26:e230059.
doi: 10.1590/1980-549720230059. eCollection 2023.

Use of Psychotropic Drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic in Minas Gerais, Brazil

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Juliana Cerqueira Barros  1 , Sarah Nascimento Silva  2
Affiliations

Use of Psychotropic Drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic in Minas Gerais, Brazil

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Juliana Cerqueira Barros et al. Rev Bras Epidemiol. .

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Objective: To describe the profile of dispensation of mental health drugs by analyzing trends in use before and during the COVID-19 pandemic within the Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde [SUS]).

Methods: Pharmacoepidemiological study based on the retrospective analysis of records regarding the dispensation of psychotropic medicines in the SUS database in the state of Minas Gerais between 2018 and 2021, considering the periods before (2018-2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021). A database with the records of dispensation of municipalities was created, and the consistency of releases was verified using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test. Medicine consumption was measured in a defined daily dose (DDD) per 1,000 inhabitants/day for SUS, and the difference between periods was evaluated using Student's t-test.

Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase in the consumption of psychotropic drugs in SUS-MG. The most consumed medicines were fluoxetine hydrochloride, diazepam and phenobarbital sodium (DDD=5.89; 3.42; 2.49) in the Basic Pharmaceutical Services Component(CBAF), and olanzapine, risperidone and quetiapine hemifumarate (DDD=0.80; 0.47; 0.38) in the Specialized Pharmaceutical Services Component (CEAF). The highest percentage increase in consumption was attributed to clonazepam (75.37%) and lithium carbonate (35.35%), in CBAF, and levetiracetam (3,000.00%) and memantine hydrochloride (340.0%) in CEAF.

Conclusion: The change in the psychotropic drug dispensation profile during the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need to produce more studies to complete, confirm or rule out this profile and monitor the use of psychotropic drugs by the population in the post-pandemic context.

Objetivo:: Descrever o perfil de dispensação de medicamentos da saúde mental analisando o uso antes e durante a pandemia de COVID-19 no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS).

Métodos:: Estudo farmacoepidemiológico a partir da análise retrospectiva dos registros de dispensação de psicofármacos na base de dados do SUS no estado de Minas Gerais (MG) nos períodos antes (2018–2019) e durante a pandemia de COVID-19 (2020–2021). Um banco de dados com os registros de dispensação dos municípios foi elaborado, sendo verificada a consistência de lançamento pelo teste de Análise de Variância (ANOVA). O consumo dos medicamentos foi mensurado em dose diária definida (DDD) por 1.000 habitantes/dia para o SUS, sendo a diferença entre os períodos avaliada pelo teste estatístico t de Student.

Resultados:: Durante a pandemia de COVID-19 houve aumento no consumo de psicofármacos no SUS-MG. Os medicamentos mais consumidos foram cloridrato fluoxetina, diazepam e fenobarbital sódico (DDD=5,89; 3,42; 2,49) no componente básico (CBAF), e olanzapina, risperidona e hemifumarato de quetiapina (DDD=0,80; 0,47; 0,38) no componente especializado da Assistência Farmacêutica (CEAF). Os maiores aumentos percentuais no consumo foram atribuídos ao clonazepam (75,37%) e carbonato de lítio (35,35%) no CBAF e levetiracetam (3.000,00%) e cloridrato de memantina (340,00%) no CEAF.

Conclusão:: A alteração do perfil de dispensação de psicotrópicos durante a pandemia de COVID-19 alerta quanto à necessidade de produção de mais estudos a fim de completar, confirmar ou afastar este perfil e monitorar o uso de psicofármacos pela população no contexto pós-pandêmico.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: nothing to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Pharmaceutical units of psychotropic drugs dispensed in the Unified Health System of Minas Gerais in 2018–2021.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Consumption in Defined Daily Dose/1000 inhabitants/day of psychotropic drugs in the Basic Pharmaceutical Services Component in the Unified Health System of Minas Gerais, 2019-2021.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Consumption in Defined Daily Dose/1000 inhabitants/day of psychotropic drugs in the Specialized Pharmaceutical Services Component in the Unified Health System of Minas Gerais, 2018-2021.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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