Use of antidepressants in the area of Thessaloniki

The purpose of this work was to study the use of antidepressants, with an emphasis on the use of generics, in the greater area of Thessaloniki. Data were obtained from 14 pharmacies (9 pharmacies in eastern Thessaloniki and 5 pharmacies in western Thessaloniki). The data for the study were collected using the electronic records of executed prescriptions of the pharmacies. The amount of drugs was calculated in Defined Daily Doses (DDDs). The percentage of generics and brand-name medicines for each drug was also calculated. A total of 306,148 DDDs of antidepressants were consumed, of which the vast majority (74%) were selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The percentage of generic drugs was 32%. Citalopram (65%), venlafaxine (56%) and sertraline (52%) showed the highest rates of consumption of generics. The rates of use of SSRIs and generics were similar in both eastern and western Thessaloniki.