Abstract

Due to an increasing consumption of psychotropics, in 1995 Chilean Ministry of Health reinforced the control of its dispensing in community pharmacy. However, changes produced by this action on consumption of psychotropics with the exception of that of antidepressants, has not been studied yet. The purpose of this study was to determine mean level of psychotropic consumption in Chile between 2000 and 2006 and to compare it with data coming from the period 1990-1994. A retrospective observational study was performed using data of psychotropics (anxiolytics/hypnotics/neuroleptics/antipsychotics ) sold in community pharmacies. After data were converted to the WHO recommended units, i.e. Defined Daily Doses (DDDs)/1,000 inhabitants/day. Across the period 2000-2006 the mean total consumption of psychotropics was of 14.19DDDs/1,000 inhabitants/day. Consumption of anxyolitics represented the 69.3% of the mean total psychotropics consumption, followed by that of hypnotics (29.32%), neuroleptics (3.07%), and antipsychotics (2.02%). Anxiolytics consumption remained stable, with an annual mean value of 9.48±0.4DDDs/1.000 inhabitants/days. When mean consumption of psychotropics during the period 2000-2006 was compared to that in 1990- 1994 it was found a decrease of 55.6%. Between 1990 and 1994 the most consumed anxiolytic agent was diazepam(10.66DDDs/1,000 inhabitants/day), while in the period 2000-2006 was alprazolam(6.11DDDs/1,000 inhabitants/day). Found data show that action taken by the Chilean Ministry of Health in 1995 was effective as it made decrease the consumption of psychotropics, which remained almost without changes through the period 2000-2006. It would be interesting to explore if consumption of OTC drugs with CNS actions has been increasing during the study period.