Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the trend of antidepressant use and analyze the daily cost of antidepressants in Wuhan, China. The data on the expenditure of antidepressants in Wuhan from 2006 to 2012 were retrospectively analyzed based on the defined daily dose (DDD) method recommended by the World Health Organization. In addition, the daily cost of antidepressants was calculated for the pharmacoeconomic evaluation. The overall sales of antidepressants increased by 566.7% over the 7-year period. The utilization of antidepressants increased annually from 1.067 DDDs per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2006 to 4.144 in 2012. This upward trend was mainly driven by an increase in the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which accounted for about 60% of antidepressant use. Notably, the use of traditional Chinese patent medicines (TCMs) approved to treat depression in China in 2010 increased from 0.158 DDDs per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2010 to 0.305 in 2012. The daily drug cost analysis indicated that selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and other new antidepressants were more expensive while tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants (TCAs) had a low-cost advantage. Antidepressants were increasingly used over the study period. Among them, SSRIs followed by SNRIs were the most commonly used. After the approval for the treatment of depression, TCMs were generally accepted by physicians and patients. The low-cost advantage allowed TCAs to be used in the antidepressant therapy.
Highlights
The Global Burden of Diseases Study 2010 has indicated that depression is the most disabling disease worldwide according to years lived with disability and is the fourth leading cause of the overall disease burden measured in disability-adjusted life years [1]
The overall sales of antidepressants increased by 566.7% over the 7-year period
The utilization of antidepressants increased annually from 1.067 defined daily dose (DDD) per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2006 to 4.144 in 2012. This upward trend was mainly driven by an increase in the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which accounted for about 60% of antidepressant use
Summary
The Global Burden of Diseases Study 2010 has indicated that depression is the most disabling disease worldwide according to years lived with disability and is the fourth leading cause of the overall disease burden measured in disability-adjusted life years [1]. In parallel with the growth in the prevalence of depression, antidepressant use is increasing dramatically over time. In 29 European countries, an average growth in the use of antidepressants during the last 5 years was 19.83% [3]. Upward trends were noted in other countries [4, 5]. This increase may be attributed to the introduction of new antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and other new antidepressants. Several studies have documented an increased use of antidepressants in other countries, little is known regarding the use of antidepressants
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