Utilisation of lipid-lowering drugs in Spain between 1986 and 1998

Objective: To investigate the pattern of use of lipid-lowering drugs in Spa in between 1986 and 1998, with particular emphasis on the impact of drug ut ilisation Following the marketing of statins in Spain. Design: Information on drug utilisation was obtained from the ECOM (Especia lidades Consume de Medicamentos) database of the Spanish Ministry of Health , which contains the number of packages sold in community pharmacies and ch arged to the National Health System. Data were expressed in defined daily d oses (DDD) per 1000 inhabitants per day. Main Outcomes and Results: The use of lipid-lowering drugs increased from 2 .45 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day (1986) to more than 19.3 DDD/1000 inhabitants/ day (1998). Over the period studied, fibrates (until 1995), and statins (th ereafter), were the most widely used lipid-lowering drugs. The consumption of probucol and other lipid-lowering drugs, including fixed-dose combinatio ns, decreased during this period. Conclusion: The consumption of lipid-lowering drugs has increased dramatica lly in Spain during the last few years. This increase did not seem to be di rectly influenced by the information derived from important clinical trials . The introduction of statins has markedly modified the pattern of use of l ipid-lowering drugs in Spain. Some indicators point to a greater rationalit y in the consumption of these drugs.