Consumption details of systemically acting antiviral and antimicrobial preparations in period of novel coronavirus infection spread in retail sector of Samara region pharmaceutical market

An analysis of the medicinal preparation consumption structure in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic in the pharmacy network reflects the existing outpatient practice and makes it possible to draw generalized conclusions about its compliance with the pharmacotherapy standards.

The aim. Comparative analysis of population consumption of antimicrobial and antiviral medicines sold in the retail pharmacies of the Samara region in 2015–2021.

Materials and methods. The study was conducted in the retail sector of the Samara region pharmaceutical market. The material of the study was the information on the list of items and dispensing volumes of antibacterial and individual antiviral drugs during the novel coronavirus infection spread (in 2020) in the network of the Samara region pharmacies. The data are compared with the indicators of the drug sales in 2015–2019. Methods of retrospective, comparative, graphical, methodological, content analyzes and statistical methods of analyses were used.

Results. The authors have established a significant distortion in the consumption of systemic antimicrobial preparations in the Samara region pharmacy segment in the period of 2015–2019 with the predominance of the ATC (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System) J01D group, primarily cephalosporins (38%), mainly by the parenteral administration route. The share of macrolides (J01F) consumption in volume terms was 14.9%, of fluoroquinolones (J01M) – 11.3%, beta-lactam antibiotics with beta-lactamase inhibitors – 10.7%, beta-lactam antibiotics penicillins (J01C) – 8.1%. Compared to 2019, in 2020, under the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the total consumption of AMPs increased by 2.1 times. In the “Other beta-lactam antibiotics” group with a predominant proportion of cephalosporins, there was an increase by 3.2 times, in the “Macrolides and lincosamides” group – by 3.5 times, in “Quinolone derivatives” – by 2.6 times. The noted facts should be assessed as the phenomenon that can have a direct impact on the growth of an antibiotic resistance on a population scale. Among antivirals, the largest consumption increase was noted for oseltamivir and rimantadine. In absolute terms, the volume of antiviral preparations consumption in 2020 increased by 2.4 times, which was accompanied by an increase in the cost of one package by 55.8%.

Conclusion. In the period of spreading a novel coronavirus infection, a significant increase in the consumption of antimicrobial and antiviral preparations (up to 20 times for certain pharmacotherapeutic groups and names) was notified, which may negatively affect the growth of the antibiotic resistance in the population.