Antipsychotic drugs consumption in primary health care in Albania during the 2004 - 2016 period

Abstract

The era of new antipsychotics that started with Clozapine and the ever growing number of newly patented drugs have strongly influenced the pattern of drug use and consumption among psychiatric pa-tients. Authors present a study aiming to assess exclusively the out-of-hospital antipsychotic drug consumption within Albania, during a period covering thirteen years [2004-2016]. Data were obtained from official sources [Health Insurance Institute] that registers and eventually reimburses all prescriptions in this field. Some outflows from the officially reimbursement scheme has been as well reported, due to circulating (but not yet registered) new drugs. A significant trend towards the decrease of consumption of old, typical anti-psychotics is seen; in favour of new and modern drugs whose side effects profile is obviously a better one. Also, Albania has a lower figure of overall out-of-hospital antipsychotic usage when compared with other countries. Under-diagnosing and under-treatment might be some of the factors leading to such a fact, to-gether with accessibility of psychiatric care and society stigma that still deeply impregnate the today Albanian society.