Trends and Characteristics of Blood Pressure Prescription Fills Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States.
Am J Hypertens
; 36(8): 439-445, 2023 Jul 14.
Artículo
en Inglés
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2306051
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted healthcare in the United States and raised concerns about certain antihypertensives, and may have impacted both prescribing practices and access to blood pressure (BP) medications.METHODS:
We assessed trends in BP prescription fills before and during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, using cross-sectional data for BP fills and tablets in the IQVIA (IMS Health) National Prescription Audit® database. Drugs filled via retail (92% coverage), mail-order (78% coverage), and long-term care (72% coverage) channels from January 2018 through December 2020 were included. Data were projected nationally and by state.RESULTS:
Between 2.9 and 3.4 billion BP tablets were dispensed monthly until February 2020, increasing sharply to 3.8 billion in March 2020 and declining to 3.5 billion in April, then increasing at 3-month intervals until December 2020. The number of tablets per fill increased slightly over time, with the largest increase (from 66.7 to 68.6) during February-March, 2020. Tablets were dispensed through retail channels (99.7 billion), mail-order (14.7 billion), and long-term care (5.3 billion). Rates of patients initiating new medications decreased during 2020 compared to prior years. Fills did not vary significantly by drug class.CONCLUSIONS:
A sharp increase in BP fills occurred with COVID-19 emergence, suggesting patients may have secured medications in preparation for potential access limitations. A decrease in new fills, indicating decreased initiation and/or modification of treatment regimens, suggests need for efforts to re-engage patients in the healthcare system and provide alternative ways to obtain medication refills and adjustments.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
Disponible
Colección:
Bases de datos internacionales
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Pandemias
/
COVID-19
Tipo de estudio:
Estudio observacional
/
Ensayo controlado aleatorizado
Límite:
Humanos
País/Región como asunto:
America del Norte
Idioma:
Inglés
Revista:
Am J Hypertens
Asunto de la revista:
Angiología
Año:
2023
Tipo del documento:
Artículo
País de afiliación:
Ajh
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