[Antibiotic consumption (1993-1996) in primary care in a health area with a high rate of bacterial resistance].

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the consumption of antibiotics and the consumption trend for 1993 to 1996 in Primary Care in a health area with high rates of bacterial resistance.

DESIGN

Comparative retrospective analysis.

SETTING

Costa de Ponent Primary Care area, with a census of 1,158,098 inhabitants.

PATIENTS

Those belonging to the health area who took antibiotics during the study period.

INTERVENTIONS

Data were obtained from the records of the Catalan Health Service. As a measurement of consumption of various antibiotics, the daily defined dose (DDD)/1000 inhabitants/day (DID).

RESULTS

The DID total was very high, 17,048, a light increase from 1993 to 1996 (+2.4%). The groups which increased were cephalosporins by 42.8% and macrolides by 12.2%.

CONCLUSIONS

The total consumption of antibiotics was very high and consonant with the high rate of bacterial resistance detected in our area in recent years. The progressive consumption of the most recently introduced antibiotics was not accompanied by a proportionate decrease in the consumption of others. The rationalisation of antibiotic use and the formation of Antibiotic Policy Committees in the Primary Care field should be a priority public health objective.