Benzodiazepinas : caraterização doconsumo na Região Autónoma dos Açores nos anos de 2019 e 2020

Abstract

This work aimed to characterize Benzodiazepines (BZDs) and their consumption in the Autonomous Region of the Azores during 2019 (pre-pandemic year of Covid-19) and 2020 (year in pandemic). BZDs are drugs that act on the Central Nervous System (CNS) and that have been widely prescribed since the 1960s, especially in the diagnosis of anxiety and insomnia, due to their anxiolytic, sedative, and hypnotic properties. In the initial part of this work, BZDs were described in their various and diverse characteristics, followed by a brief summary of the available literature on their consumption over the last 25 years in Portugal, sometimes compared to the rest of the world. From the data analysis regarding the dispensation of these drugs in the Azores’ Community Pharmacies, the consumption was quantified in Daily Dose Defined by 1,000 inhabitants/day. It was concluded that the overall consumption of BZDs and Z-Hypnotics (Z-H), although high, remained constant in those two years, albeit in the latter a generalised increase in anxiety symptoms due to the health crisis was expected. Taking into account the considerable share of public health expenditure that these drugs represent, several suggestions are presented for their rational use, taking also into account the consequences of their misuse and/or prolonged use. Finally, the role of health professionals is highlighted, mainly the pharmacists’ importance as the one responsible for the medication and therefore having as mission the safety and effectiveness of the therapy.

Date of Award	2022
Original language	Portuguese
Supervisor	João Pedro Bernardo Gregório (Supervisor) & Ana Sofia Gregório Fernandes (Supervisor)