Mokbel Kinan, Emblin Kate, Daniels Rob, Alghamdi Fahad, Jackson Leigh
Department of Health and Care Professions, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, U.K.;
Department of Health and Care Professions, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, U.K.
In Vivo. 2025 Jan-Feb;39(1):498-508. doi: 10.21873/invivo.13854.
BACKGROUND/AIM: Pharmacotherapy is vital in medicine, but inappropriate and inadequate use of medications significantly impacts global mortality and morbidity. Increased prescribing may indicate irrational use or prolonged illness, while decreased prescribing could suggest undertreatment, supply shortages, or the availability of safer and, more effective treatments. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted health systems, potentially altering prescribing patterns. This study examined its impact on the prescribing patterns of common therapeutic categories and high-risk medicines in general practice in England.
Common therapeutic categories were identified from English General Practice prescription data, and high-risk medicines were identified by mapping the UK pharmacovigilance data onto the English prescribing data. A retrospective analysis compared monthly prescription data pre-pandemic, during the pandemic, and post-pandemic. Significant changes in the prescribing volumes of therapeutic categories and high-risk medicines were tracked to determine persistence, intensification, or diminution post-pandemic. Linear regression models analysed prescribing trends.
Among 220 therapeutic categories, 16 experienced significant changes: 14 increased and two decreased during the pandemic. Of 78 high-risk medicines, six showed significant changes: two increased and three decreased. Only three therapeutic categories and two high-risk medicines returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Despite a reduction in general practice appointments during the pandemic, prescribing for several therapeutic categories and certain high-risk medicines surged, indicating increased treatment, prolonged illness or stockpiling. Post-pandemic downward trends suggest long-term under-treatment or reduced stockpiling. Continuous monitoring, strategic healthcare planning, and regulatory interventions are needed to optimise prescribing. Future research is needed to assess the long-term effects on disease management.
背景/目的：药物治疗在医学中至关重要，但药物使用不当和不足会对全球死亡率和发病率产生重大影响。处方量增加可能表明用药不合理或疾病持续时间延长，而处方量减少可能意味着治疗不足、供应短缺或有更安全、更有效的治疗方法可供使用。新冠疫情扰乱了卫生系统，可能改变了处方模式。本研究调查了其对英格兰全科医疗中常见治疗类别和高风险药物处方模式的影响。
从英国全科医疗处方数据中确定常见治疗类别，并通过将英国药物警戒数据映射到英国处方数据中来确定高风险药物。回顾性分析比较了疫情前、疫情期间和疫情后的月度处方数据。追踪治疗类别和高风险药物处方量的显著变化，以确定疫情后是否持续、加剧或减少。线性回归模型分析了处方趋势。
在220个治疗类别中，有16个出现了显著变化：疫情期间14个增加，2个减少。在78种高风险药物中，有6种出现了显著变化：2种增加，3种减少。只有3个治疗类别和2种高风险药物恢复到了疫情前的水平。
尽管疫情期间全科医疗预约减少，但几种治疗类别和某些高风险药物的处方量激增，表明治疗增加、疾病持续时间延长或出现囤药现象。疫情后处方量下降趋势表明存在长期治疗不足或囤药量减少的情况。需要持续监测、制定战略医疗保健计划和进行监管干预，以优化处方。未来需要开展研究，以评估对疾病管理的长期影响。
