Journal of Asthma and Allergy (Sep 2022)
Utilization Patterns and Trends in the Use of Medications for Asthma in a Cohort of Colombian Patients
Abstract
Manuel Enrique Machado-Duque,1,2 Andrés Gaviria-Mendoza,1,2 Luis Fernando Valladales-Restrepo,1,2 Carmen García-Nuncira,3 María Laucho-Contreras,3 Jorge E Machado-Alba1 1Grupo de Investigación en Farmacoepidemiologia y Farmacovigilancia, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira - Audifarma S.A, Pereira, Colombia; 2Grupo de Investigación Biomedicina, Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas, Pereira, Colombia; 3GSK Colombia, Bogotá, ColombiaCorrespondence: Jorge E Machado-Alba, Grupo de Investigación en Farmacoepidemiología y Farmacovigilancia, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira - Audifarma S.A, Calle 105 No. 14-140, Pereira, Risaralda, 660003, Colombia, Tel +57 3108326970, Fax +57 603137822, Email [email protected]: Asthma affects approximately 358 million people worldwide. This study aimed to determine the trend for the use of medications intended to treat asthma in a group of patients affiliated with the Colombian health system.Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective study on prescription patterns of medications used to treat asthma in patients over 5 years of age between 2017 and 2019. Sociodemographic variables, medications used and combinations, the persistence of use, and prescribing physicians were considered. Data were obtained from a drug-dispensing database from Colombia.Results: A total of 10,706 people diagnosed with asthma were identified, including predominantly females (56.8%), with a mean age of 32.2 ± 26.1 years. At the beginning of the follow-up, 53.2% of patients aged 5– 11 years were receiving monotherapy, with a mean of 1.5 ± 0.6 drugs/patient, especially inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs; 55.9%) and short-acting β-agonists (SABAs; 55.6%). Moreover, in patients older than 12 years, 53.5% were treated with monotherapy, with a mean of 1.6 ± 0.7 drugs/patient, 45.9% of whom were on SABAs, while 37.1% were on ICSs. Between 63.0% and 83.6% of patients were treated by a general practitioner. 12.5% of patients (n = 495) received triple therapy (ICS/LABA + LAMA [long-acting antimuscarinic]), particularly fluticasone/salmeterol + tiotropium.Conclusion: The identification of treatment patterns will allow physicians and decision makers to implement strategies in order to promote adherence to treatment and improve asthma medication use.Keywords: asthma, anti-asthma agents, adrenergic beta-agonists, cholinergic antagonists, corticosteroids, pharmacoepidemiology
