Slovak and Czech OECD Data under the Magnifying Glass: Cardiovascular Pharmaceutical Consumption by Defined Daily Dose.

Objective: The aim of this study is to point out certain discrepancies and inaccuracies in reporting data concerning the consumption of cardiovascular pharmaceuticals (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical code C, cardiovascular system) - measured in defined daily doses (DDDs) per 1,000 inhabitants per day - as reported by the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic for the year 2014. This data also appears in the online database of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Health Statistics.

Methods: First, we take the Czech wholesalers' data by DDD as reported to the OECD, and we compare this Czech data with the Slovak data. We calculate the Slovak data by the method traditionally used in the Slovak Republic (SDS - standard dose of substance). However, the data we use for the Slovak Republic is that reported by health insurance companies and hospital pharmacies, while the official data reported to the OECD is based on wholesalers' reports. Secondly, we recalculate medicine consumption for both countries using DDD.

Results: A comparison based on the first methodological approach shows the Slovak Republic having a higher consumption of cardiovascular medicines than the Czech Republic. A second comparison, using the same measurement tool (DDD) for both countries, shows cardiovascular medicine consumption to be actually lower in the Slovak Republic as compared to the Czech Republic.

Conclusion: Our results indicate that, when actual DDDs for both countries are used, cardiovascular pharmaceutical consumption in the Slovak Republic is shown to be lower than in the Czech Republic.