Consumption of benzodiazepines

a retrospective analysis of dispensations in the pandemic in a basic pharmacy in the interior of Paraíba

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified emotional and behavioral reactions, such as insomnia, anxiety disorders and depression in individuals. Consequently, the literature points to an increase in the consumption of benzodiazepine drugs to treat this scenario. The objective was to analyze the consumption of benzodiazepines in a municipal public pharmacy, in the interior of the state of Paraíba, in the years 2019 (without a pandemic) and 2020 (with a pandemic). This is a retrospective observational study, with a quantitative approach, using as a data source the dispensing records of the municipal pharmacy of Picuí-PB during the selected years. The research included 348 records benzodiazepine medications users. For statistical analysis, the t test was applied with the objective of testing hypotheses and the Fisher test or the chi-square test were used to examine the relationship between the variables studied. Female users (60%) and residents in urban areas showed a predominance in dispensations. Clonazepam 2 mg (46%), followed by diazepam 10 mg (40%) were the most dispensed. In the comparison between the years 2019 and 2020, no discrepancies were observed in the quantities dispensed, therefore, it was not possible to make a increase correlation as a result of the pandemic period (p = 0.46), however, it was possible to describe the dispensations profile in the research municipality. Thus, broader retrospective studies are necessary to carefully investigate the correlation.

Key words: COVID-19; Prescription drugs; Drugs of special control.