Trends and patterns in antidiabetic medication prescriptions: Insights from Greece's electronic prescription database.

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to analyze the patterns and trends of antidiabetic medication prescriptions in Greece using data from the National Electronic Prescription Database.

Methods: This retrospective observational study used real-world data from the Greek electronic prescription database from 2015 to 2021. The study population included all patients with a confirmed diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Data on medication details, prescribing patterns, and costs were extracted and analyzed using descriptive statistical methods.

Results: The study revealed that blood glucose-lowering drugs, excluding insulins (A10B), accounted for 86.1 % of the total quantity prescribed, while insulins (A10A) contributed significantly to the total cost (28.3 %). Newer drug classes like DPP-4 inhibitors and GLP-1 analogues showed increasing trends, while some older medications declined in use. Prescribing patterns varied among medical specialties, with internal medicine and general practice physicians being the primary prescribers of these drugs.

Conclusions: This study highlights significant shifts in antidiabetic medication prescribing patterns in Greece, with a trend towards newer drug classes. These findings have important implications for healthcare policy, including the need to promote the cost-effective use of newer medications, manage patient transitions between drug classes, and address insulin affordability and access.