Data published by the Basque government’s health department proves that citizens in the Basque Country are taking more and more medicines. Specifically, there will be an increase of 6.2% between 2019 and 2022, and this figure includes prescription drugs and medicines dispensed by Basque hospitals.
Basques are also spending more and more on medicines each year, reaching 872 million euros last year, 10.6% more than in the pre-pandemic period (84 million euros), equivalent to spending 2.4 million euros per day. According to the College of Official Pharmacists (COFG) in Guipuzcoa, 80% of the medicines dispensed by pharmacists in Guipuzcoa are for chronic diseases.
According to the ranking provided to this newspaper by Distribuidora Farmacéutica Guipuzcoana (DFG), the list of the twelve best-selling drugs is as follows:
top selling drug
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1
Nolotir
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2
Omeprazole
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3
Adiro
-
4
Lorazepam
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5
furosemide
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6
synthesizer
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7
paracetamol
-
8
windy wind
-
9
Clomezepam
-
10
ibuprofen
-
eleven
Atorvastatin
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12
Amlodipine
The Distribuidora Farmacéutica Guipuzcoana warehouse distributes an average of 60,000 units per day before arriving at the pharmacy. Generic drugs accounted for 40% of sales, while branded drugs accounted for 42%; 8% were unfunded drugs and 10% were complementary drugs.
Nine out of every 10 medicines are dispensed at Basquedi Pharmacy. Last year 43.6 million containers were sold, 1.5 million more than the previous year. Likewise, medicines dispensed by hospitals have increased to 5.07 million boxes.
increased drug consumption
Therefore, these figures indicate that the population receiving drug treatment is increasing. In fact, between January and April this year, consumption (4.6%) and expenditure on medicines (1.8%) both increased compared to the previous year, according to figures published by the Basque government in its parliamentary response.
Sagardui himself explained the reason for this increase in response to a question from Carmelo Barrio (PP). It refers to “a set of variables” that includes “the number of people who are in drug treatment”. Another factor mentioned by the Basque Minister is “the quantity of medicines consumed per person; new indications of medicines included in SNS pharmaceutical services; changes in the unit price of medicines, and the merger of generics and biosimilars”.
The Ministry of Health considers that “the medicines provided to Basque citizens are sufficient to meet their healthcare needs”. In his assessment of whether the 43 million containers distributed in the Basque country were too many, too few or too many, the director of the academy, Miguel Angel Gastelurrutia, was clear because ” All medicines are prescribed by doctors and that is a filter that should never be overlooked. The other thing is that later on they are used for better or worse or the formula is still pending and not removed,” he explained . Are we using our medicines wisely? “In chronic diseases, 50% of patients are non-adherent, that is, they do not take their medications on time or correctly. This is a matter of great concern to public administrations and all health professionals, and it is one of the challenges we face. We do not Get the most out of the drug, and that’s where we are now,” he said.
What function does each top-selling drug have?
Nolotir
Analgesics for acute moderate or severe postoperative or posttraumatic pain. It is also used in high fever cases and always for short-term treatment as determined by each doctor.
Omeprazole
It is a proton pump inhibitor that prevents stomach acid production. It is used to relieve heartburn that occurs at least two days a week. It is also indicated for the treatment of duodenal or gastric ulcers, and for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori.
Adiro
Acetylsalicylic acid prevents blood clots from forming and clogged arteries. It belongs to the group of drugs called antiplatelet drugs.
Lorazepam
It is a sedative and anxiolytic (valium) medicine indicated for the treatment of anxiety or sleep disturbances. It is also used as a sedative before surgery.
furosemide
Diuretics are used to treat blood pressure problems and edema (fluid retention). It works by increasing urine output.
synthesizer
Anticoagulants (help reduce blood clotting), so are used in the prevention and treatment of thromboembolic diseases.
paracetamol
Analgesics are indicated for the symptomatic treatment of mild or moderate pain.
Ventolin
It is an inhaler used to treat bronchospasm associated with asthma or COPD. For all types of asthma, mild or severe.
Clomezepam
Anxiolytics are indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia. These drugs are indicated only for the treatment of serious medical conditions that limit the patient’s activities or expose the patient to a significant stressful situation.
ibuprofen
It is anti-inflammatory and can be used to treat mild to moderate pain (such as headache, common cold, backache, or toothache) or fever.
Atorvastatin
It is used to lower lipids such as cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood.
Amlodipine
Drugs are prescribed to treat high blood pressure. It works by relaxing blood vessels so that blood can move through them more easily.
Due to an aging population, more and more citizens suffer from chronic diseases (in Guipuzcoa Province, one third of citizens are aged 60 or over), which also increases the consumption of medicines, especially the “65-70 patients taking multiple drugs”. They are by far the biggest spenders and need to be tightly controlled,” he noted.
related news
One of the most dispensed drugs at Gipscoan Pharmacy is Furosemide (formerly known as Seguri); Metformin (for Diabetes); Simvastatin (for Cholesterol); Adiro (for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention) Or omeprazole” sells more than it should. Many people take it as a stomach protector.
Anti-anxiety drugs such as lorazepam are the fourth best-selling drug, a sticking point for the health professional, who affirms that “they are a problem now”.