Search

Objective: To analyze whether the drug safety update issued by the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Healthcare Products (AEMPS), dated October 30, 2018, on agranulocytosis and metamizole contains accurate and necessary information to protect patients from the presentation of this adverse reaction (AR) and if the official documentation of medicines containing metamizole for doctors, pharmacists and the general population conforms to the guidelines of the AEMPS to reduce this risk., Setting and Participants: Drug safety update, bibliographic search, information at the European Medicines Agency on metamizole drugs marketed in Spain, technical datasheets, leaflets, Bot PLUS Health Information Database and Catalog of Pharmaceutical Specialties. Notification of 4cases of agranulocytosis due to metamizole after the drug safety update was issued., Main Interventions and Measurements: Comparison of the key points of the drug safety update and official documents on metamizole with the bibliography. Description of the 4cases of agranulocytosis due to metamizole and application of the causality and severity algorithm., Results: The drug safety update contains omissions and contradiction in respect to the bibliography and the actual use of metamizole in healthcare practice. The official documents show a lack of updating, unapproved indications and doses higher than those recommended. The drug safety update has not stopped the presentation of cases of agranulocytosis due to metamizole., Conclusions: The AEMPS drug safety update can be improved and it is necessary to update the official information documents on metamizole for health professionals and patients in order to decrease the risk of agranulocytosis., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To describe the evolution in the use of antidepressants (AD), anxiolytics (A) and hypnotics (H) in the Comunitat Valenciana (CV) between 2000 and 2010, their expenditure, and the cost of the defined daily dose (DDD)., Design: Retrospective observational study., Setting: Prescriptions covered by the health public service of the CV during the period 2000-2010., Measurements: Consumption of the therapeutic groups N06A (antidepressants), N05B (anxiolytics) and N05C (hypnotics) from the pharmacy database of the public Valencian Health Agency measured in defined daily dose per 1.000 inhabitants., Results: During the period of study the use of AD increased by 81.2% and A and H, 11.7%. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were the most prescribed AD and Selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors experienced the higher rise (386.8%). The increase of escitalopram was 1.013%. Lorazepam, alprazolam and diazepam, accounted for the 80.4% of the anxyolitics, and lormetazepam and zolpidem the 88.7% of the hypnotics. The expenditure rise of AD was by 78.2% and that of the A and H was 14.5%; the cost of the DDD of both decreased by 29%., Conclusions: Antidepressant utilization has experienced a remarkable rise between 2000 and 2010 while that of A and H has been mild even though they are still more consumed than AD. In spite of the reduction of the DDD cost in both therapeutic groups, the whole expenditure on AD in the CV is still growing., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Despite the high prevalence of mental health problems among patients attending primary care, diagnosis and treatment of these disorders remain inadequate. Sound training of primary care physicians in how to manage mental health problems is needed to reduce the health, economic and social impact associated with these disorders. Among other elements, there is a need for cooperation between primary care physicians and mental health services. Distinct models are available for such collaboration. In 2006, our health department started a collaboration between these two levels of heath care, using a liaison model. Delays until the first specialist visit were reduced and satisfaction among health professionals increased, although these results should be interpreted with caution. Evidence has recently accumulated on the usefulness of the collaborative model, but evaluation of this model and extrapolation of its results are complex. We intend to evaluate our model more thoroughly, similar to other projects in our environment., (Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To examine how the different Spanish health regions are evaluating pharmaceutical prescription quality and the type of prescribing indicators used., Design: Cross-sectional study., Setting: The 17 Spanish Autonomous Communities during the period from January to December 2007., Measurements: Definition and type of prescribing indicators, measurement units., Results: We obtained information from 16 of the 17 CCAA through their health services. All health services had developed quality indicators of drug prescription. The number of indicators varied from 3 to 22 between regions. Most of the regions are using indicators based on adequate selection of drugs. Nine of the 16 CCAA are also including prevalence indicators and only the Basque Country and Cantabria are using indicators based on the quality of the therapeutic process. Nine CCAA use the number of packs as measurement unit and the other seven CCAA measure prescriptions in defined daily doses (ddd). The indicators most frequently used are: percentage of new drugs in 15 CCAA (93%), omeprazole in total IBP drugs in 13 (81.2%), percentage of generic drugs in 11 (68.7%) and selection of NSAID in 10 (62%)., Conclusion: Each regional health service has developed its own set of drug prescription quality indicators. Consequently, there is great variability between regions in the assessment of the quality of drug prescription. Common indicators are needed in order to establish a benchmarking process between regional health services., (2009 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.)