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5PSQ-025 Pulmonary arterial hypertension drugs: epidemiological analysis concerning an italian district
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  1. M Lecis,
  2. E Viglione,
  3. S Strobino,
  4. G Ceravolo
  1. Asl TO3, Hospital Pharmacy, Rivoli, Italy

Abstract

Background In recent years, numerous patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) were treated in this district and the therapy approach changed radically, with a lot of different drugs provided from the hospital pharmacy. In fact, the number of available drugs increased, and also the therapy strategies have evolved, for example with associations of two or three drugs.

Purpose The aim of this study was an epidemiological and prescription analysis of the period from 2004 to 2017 to highlight average age, gender prevalence, survival and age at the first dispensation. Furthermore, this study analysed the prescription trend from 2012 to 2017.

Material and methods Data were obtained from the constant updating of dispensed drugs in this hospital pharmacy. At this point, they were processed by software such as Microsoft Access and Excel, to obtain epidemiological and prescriptive informations from 2004 to 2017. Furthermore, the prescription frequency of combination therapies from 2012 to 2017 was analysed, using the same computer programs.

Results Patients’ average age was 55 years (comparable with the literature data) and the gender prevalence was higher in females (66%). There were six patients in 2004, rising to 57 in 2017. 39.6% died with an average survival of 2.8 years and the average age at the first dispensation was 56 years’ old. The prescriptive trend saw a progressive redistribution of consumption, with a prescriptions’ increase of innovative medicines. Drugs association is a growing strategy and the collected data are aligned with the reference guidelines (in 2017, 43 patients were treated with monotherapy and 14 with two-three drug therapy).

Conclusion Recent pharmacology and studies, and improved early diagnosis, showed an increase in patient numbers, average age and survival. In the case of monotherapy failure, politherapy, which is constantly increasing, is a good strategy that gives more efficacy with comparable side effects.

References and/or acknowledgements 1. Humbert M, et al. Advances in therapeutic interventions for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Circulation2014;130:2189–2208.

No conflict of interest.

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