Utilization patterns of cardiovascular medications in patients with diabetes mellitus; a retrospective cross-sectional study, 2013-17.

Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a prominent health care issue worldwide. One of the most prevalent comorbidities of DM is cardiovascular disease (CVD). The objective of this study was to assess the utilization patterns of cardiovascular medications in patients with DM in Iran from 2013 to 2017.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was undertaken using prescription claims data from 2013 to 2017 in Iran. Epidemiological data elements used in this study were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 study. In addition, data on total medication sales were obtained from the national regulatory authority database. The data on medication utilization were analyzed according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification (ATC) /Defined Daily Doses (DDD) international system.

Results: Based on the findings, Acetylsalicylic acid was the mainstay of treatment with a utilization rate of 191.7 DDD/ patient/ year in 2017, followed by Atorvastatin with 170.0 and Losartan with 115.1. Although there was an increasing trend in the utilization rate of the medications, the rate of Atenolol and Enalapril was constantly declining during the 2013-17 period. On the other hand, Valsartan and Metoprolol were attracting attention. Almost all medication utilization rates increased from the 30-39 age group up to the 80 + age group. Females had a higher utilization rate in each age group during the whole study period.

Conclusion: The present study reflects that medication utilization patterns were rational, according to the standard treatment guidelines. Utilization patterns of medications that are recommended for both prevention and treatment of CVD in diabetes were observed to be the highest. Implementation of further policies is needed to minimize cardiovascular complications of diabetes.