(323) Trends In Psychotropic Medication Utilisation in Community Pharmacies In Chile Between 2018 - 2022

Background: Between 2019 and 2021 the deep social unrest and the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic represented a significant source of stress and uncertainty in daily life for the Chilean population. It is unknown how these events may have affected the use of psychotropic drugs in Chile. A few pharmacoepidemiological studies on the use of psychotropic medications in Chile have been conducted to date.

Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the trends in psychotropic medication utilisation in private community pharmacies in Chile between 2018 and 2022.

Methods: This was an observational and retrospective drug utilisation study of psychotropic consumption between 2018 and 2022 in Chile. Database of medication sales in a representative sample of private community pharmacies was analyzed. The drug consumption was estimated by converting sales of psychotropic drug into defined daily doses (DDD) per 1000 inhabitants per day (DHD). Total beneficiaries each year were calculated using the national census. Psychotropic drugs were classified according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC)/DDD Index suggested by the World Health Organization. The primary outcome was the psychotropic medication use during the study period.

Results: The estimated consumption of psychotropic drugs increased by 62% between 2018 (180 DHD) and 2022 (291 DHD) in community pharmacies in Chile during the study period. The utilization pattern was mainly driven by antidepressants (31.8%; 92.7 DHD) and hypnotics/sedatives (41.9%; 121.7 DHD). Antidepressants consumption increased from 53.3 DHD in 2018 to 92.7 DHD in 2022 (+74%) and Z drugs increased from 29.9 DHD in 2018 to 71.7 DHD in 2022 (+140%). Sertraline and clonazepam were the most used drugs.

Conclusions: The psychotropic drug utilisation increased in the sample studied between 2018 and 2022 in Chile, mainly driven by antidepressants and hypnotics/sedatives. Future studies should be conducted to better understand the quality of use of these medications.