Due to health problems, psychological challenges, but also socioeconomic circumstances that leave consequences for health, citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) increasingly decide to consume antidepressants and tranquilizers.
According to the official data of the Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices of BiH (ALMBiH) from November 2022, and for records from 2021, the value of imported and produced antidepressants and tranquilizers was about 22.6 million BAM.
According to the clarifications from the ALMBiH, antidepressants (N06A) are drugs effective in the treatment of moderate and severe depression, organic depressive disorder, and dysthymia (chronic moderate depression).
Anxiolytics are drugs whose basic application is related to the therapy of anxiety states in the framework of various psychiatric disorders. The largest group of anxiolytics consists of benzodiazepines, which, in addition to anxiolytic properties, also have sedative, hypnotic, anticonvulsant, and muscle relaxant effects.
Bromazepam and sertraline are most often prescribed to patients in BiH
”In 2021, from the group of antidepressants, escitalopram, sertraline, and paroxetine had the largest financial share. From the group of anxiolytics, bromazepam had the largest turnover, and from the group of hypnotics and sedatives, zolpidem. All these drugs have a prescription regime,” the ALMBiH stated.
In Republika Srpska (RS), antidepressants are in third place among drugs used
In 2022, 148.525 prescriptions for sedatives were written, while the price is 2.004.905 BAM. When it comes to antidepressants, 144.222 prescriptions were written last year, while the cost of the Fund for antidepressants is about 815.000 BAM.
Namely, in the total consumption of prescription drugs, they are in third place drugs that affect the nervous system, including antidepressants and tranquilizers.
As reported by the Health Insurance Fund of the RS, the most commonly prescribed tranquilizer is “alprazolam” and the antidepressant “sertraline”, Klix.ba reports.
E.Dz.
