A comparative analysis of the consumption of medicines from the group of calcium channel blockers in Ukraine and some European countries

Calcium channel blockers have long remained an important class of antihypertensive agents due to their clinical benefits in the treatment of patients at high risk of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and renal complications. Aim. To analyze the dynamics of drug consumption in the group of calcium channel blockers in Ukraine (for 2021-2023) and compare the consumption indicators with data from some European countries, in particular Estonia, Croatia, and Norway. Materials and methods. The study was conducted using data from the State Register of Medicines of Ukraine and the analytical system for pharmaceutical market research “Proxima Research” of the company “Morion”. The consumption analysis of the drugs studied was performed using the ATC/DDD methodology recommended by the WHO. The indicator of DDDs per 1,000 inhabitants per day (DID) was used as the unit of measurement. Data on the calcium antagonist consumption in other European countries were obtained from the relevant national registries. Results and discussion. It was found that the consumption of calcium antagonists in the domestic pharmaceutical market during 2021-2023 fluctuated slightly from 23,624 DID to 21,437 DID, i.e. it decreased by 9.26 %. The highest consumption volumes were for amlodipine (from 17,845 DID in 2021 to 15,245 DID in 2023), lercanidipine (from 2.43 DID in 2021 to 3.21 DID in 2023) and nifedipine (from 1,464 DID in 2021 to 1,196 DID in 2023). The highest consumption among combined drugs based on calcium channel blockers was observed for drugs combining amlodipine with indapamide. During the period analyzed, their consumption increased by 15 %. A comparison of the consumption of medicines from the group of calcium channel blockers in Ukraine, Croatia, Estonia, and Norway shows both numerous similarities and individual national differences. In all the countries considered, the leading positions in terms of consumption are occupied by amlodipine and lercanidipine. In Norway and Ukraine, the consumption of nifedipine remains stable, ranking third in the structure of the group analyzed. Estonia is characterized by a significant intake of nitrendipine, the share of which was 8.64 % in 2022 and 8.15 % in 2023. At the same time, a feature of the pharmaceutical markets of Croatia and Estonia is the relatively high level of lacidipine consumption. Conclusions. The analysis of the consumption of calcium channel blockers in 2022–2023 revealed both pan-European trends and country-specific features of pharmacotherapeutic practice. In all the countries studied, the highest consumption volumes are for amlodipine drugs. Lercanidipine consistently occupies the second position, demonstrating a gradual increase in consumption. At the same time, individual approaches to the prescription of calcium channel blockers are observed in each country; they are formed under the influence of national experience, pricing policy and the level of availability of individual drugs in the domestic market.