Klin Farmakol Farm. 2014;28(3):97-98

Aspirin consumption in new millennium

Roman Hudec¹, Lýdia Božeková¹, Milan Kriška¹, Jana Tisoňová¹, Martin Wawruch¹, Viera Kristová¹, Viliam Foltán²

¹ Ústav farmakológie a klinickej farmakológie LF UK, Bratislava

² Katedra organizácie a riadenia farmácie FaF UK, Bratislava

Introduction: Aspirin was patented in the year 1899 by Felix Hoffmann. The salicylate group of drugs works primarily by peripheral inhibition

of the enzyme cyclooxygenase and thus mainly affects inflammatory pain. Our aim was to assess the trends in aspirin consumption

in six countries (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Norway, Denmark, Australia) during the first 12 years of the third millennium.

Methods: We assessed the consumption of aspirin in the ATC group N02B (Other analgesics and antipyretics). Consumption data were obtained

from the websites of national medicines agencies. We used the evaluation of daily defined doses per 1,000 inhabitants and one day.

Results: A decreasing trend in consumption in all the countries is evident (the strongest in the Czech Republic). The most significant

consumption was recorded in the Czech Republic as well, while in Denmark and Australia aspirin gradually disappeared among the most

commonly consumed drugs.

Conclusion: The decreasing trend in aspirin consumption and its replacement with safer drugs can be considered positive due to its

safety profile.

Keywords: aspirin, consumption, international comparison

Published: November 1, 2014  Show citation