P02-29 - Outpatient Utilization of Benzodiazepines in Serbia

Abstract

The increasing benzodiazepines utilization in Serbia has been described at the close of the XX century.

Benzodiazepines have addictive potential and are often a subject of abuse and misuse. Therefore, their use must be followed very closely in every society.

The aim of this study is to analyse the utilization of benzodiazepines in Serbia after the year of 2000.

This is a retrospective study (2000-2007) in which defined daily dose methodology is used. Drug use is expressed as number of defined daily doses/1000 inhabitants/day (DID). Tha data are obtained from the reports of the Medicines and Medical Devices Agency of Serbia. Statistics was performed using Pearson's linear correlation.

Total utilization of benzodiazepines significantly increased during the period of the study.

Benzodiazepine	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	|r;p
Diazepam	33.50	26.70	31.90	29.60	49.62	42.93	42.06	44 13	r=0-729; |p<0.05*
Lorazepam	2.40	3.50	4.60	8.60	11.82	11.64	14.83	22.60	r=0.960; p<001**
Bromazepam	2.70	4.60	6.50	8.20	33.46	27.82	20.14	28.05	r=0.815; p<0.05*
Alprazolam	1.90	2.10	3.80	4.20	10.25	7.42	13.26	11.97	r=0,926; p<0,01
Midazolam	15.40	11.10	11.10	7.90	2.32	2.49	2.73	3.78	r=-0,900; p<0.01**
Others	0.00	0.00	1.10	1.35	8.64	2.15	5.23	6.64	not available
Total	55.90	48.00	59.00	59.85	109.42	94.45	98.15	117.17	r=0.875; p<0.01**

[Utilization of benzodiazepines in Serbia 2000-2007] The most prominent wass the increase of the use of lorazepam, bromazepam and diazepam.

There is a trend toward increasing benzodiazepines utilization in Serbia, which is in collision with the worldwide trends. Guidelines must be developed and implemented on all health care levels to promote more rational presribing of benzodiazepines.