Systematic review of survey/questionnaire-based drug utilization studies in Turkiye.

Objective: Drug utilization studies (DUS), providing insights into various aspects of pharmacoepidemiology from prescribing to medication use, can be conducted through real-world data from health records and survey-based data. In this study, we aimed to describe survey/questionnaire-based DUS conducted in Turkiye.

Methods: We searched online databases for the most frequently used keywords in DUS from January 1993 till May 2023 and identified 180 survey-based DUS conducted in Turkiye.

Pharmacoeconomic implications of preference toward reference- versus generic-brand antidepressants in primary care.

Background: The prevalence of depression is gradually increasing worldwide with an increasing utilization of antidepressants. Nevertheless, despite their lower costs, generic-brand antidepressants were reported to be less prescribed. We aimed to examine the costs of reference- versus generic-brand antidepressant prescriptions in primary care practice.

Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw: Bibliometric Analysis from 2003 to 2023.

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a serious condition associated with the use of antiresorptive and antiangiogenic medications. Despite extensive research, the pathophysiology of MRONJ remains poorly understood. Bibliometric analysis provides insights into the academic impact of research, helping identify influential works and emerging trends in this field.

Use of lipid-lowering drugs in restricted health access settings: Results from the Trends in Drug Utilization During COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey (PANDUTI-TR) study.

Background: COVID-19 restrictions prompted changes in chronic disease management and lifestyle modifications, potentially altering cardiometabolic indicators and lipid-lowering pharmacotherapy patterns. We aimed to assess lipid-lowering drug (LLD) utilization trends during COVID-19 restrictions.

Methods: We obtained nationwide outpatient drug sales and prescribing data for 01.

Drug utilization studies in Turkiye: A systematic review.

Objective: Drug utilization studies (DUS) provide a framework for drug utilization at the national or targeted population level and important information on unmet medical needs, particularly in assessing the rationality of drug use. We aimed to systematically review DUS conducted in Turkiye.

Methods: We examined 162 DUS with an accessible full-text, published as "research articles" and conducted in Turkiye between 2000 and 2021 using medical records and prescription data.

Association of arbitrary prescribing behavior to costly drug expenditures: a pharmacoeconomic study in primary care.

Background: We aimed to examine the cost-related prescribing performance of primary care physicians who had a higher versus lower tendency of arbitrary prescribing.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated the prescriptions of primary care physicians in Istanbul, collected with 3:1 systematic sampling. We determined higher versus lower arbitrary prescribing by the physician's degree of writing the solo diagnosis of "Z00- General examination without diagnosis/complaint": those for whom such prescriptions constituted >5% were classified as Group A and those with them at <0.

Comparison of primary care prescriptions for old and very old hypertensive patients.

Background: Elderly and very elderly individuals might be subject to different approaches for the treatment of hypertension. We aimed to compare drug utilization in hypertensive old patients and very old patients in primary care, along with the evaluation of potentially inappropriate drug prescribing.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we compared prescriptions of 65-79-year-old (old patient prescriptions [OPP], n = 433,988) vs.

Supratherapeutic utilization of paracetamol versus ibuprofen among <12-year-old children in primary care in Istanbul.

Background: Paracetamol and ibuprofen are the most preferred analgesics for pain and fever management in children. Prescribing of these drugs in supratherapeutic doses may predispose to their toxicity. We aimed to compare prescribing patterns and potential overdosing of paracetamol and ibuprofen in primary care for <12-year-old children.

Comparison of pediatric antibiotic prescribing practice between low and high prescribers for children in primary care.

Background: Antibiotic prescribing is more prevalent in children. Many factors influence this practice, including the burden of outpatient visits. We aimed to compare antibiotic prescribing for children by low prescribers (LP) and high prescribers (HP) in primary care.

The association of chiral characteristic with drug withdrawal due to safety: A comparative analysis.

Aims: Chirality of drugs might be associated with safety issues through pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic variations, interactions, or direct toxicological responses. We aimed to compare chiral status of the available drugs to that of drugs withdrawn due to adverse drug reactions (ADRs).

Methods: We searched the literature regarding withdrawn drugs due to safety-related issues (n = 391) to compare them with all available small-molecule drugs (n = 1633).

Good versus poor prescribers: the comparison of prescribing competencies in primary care.

Aim: To compare the competencies of primary care physicians (PCPs) with poor and good prescribing performance in frequently encountered indications.

Background: Primary care centers are one of the mostly visited health facilities by the population for different health issues.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed 6 125 487 prescriptions generated by 1431 PCPs which were selected by systematic sampling in 2016 in Istanbul.

Comparison of paracetamol and diclofenac prescribing preferences for adults in primary care.

Introduction: The most frequently prescribed analgesic drugs in primary care centers in Turkey are diclofenac and paracetamol, respectively. In this study, we aimed to compare paracetamol-included prescriptions (PIP) and diclofenac-included prescriptions (DIP) generated for adult patients in primary care.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, PIPs (n = 280 488) and DIPs (n = 337 935) created for adults by systematic sampling among primary care physicians working in Istanbul in 2016 (n = 1431) were examined.

Utilization trend of gastric acid-suppressing agents in relation to analgesics.

Background: Controversies exist about excessive use of gastric acid-suppressing agents or lack of adequate indications, especially when co-prescribed with analgesics for gastroprotection. We aimed to analyze the nationwide trend of gastric acid-suppressing agents and analgesics.

Methods: We obtained nationwide consumption data of analgesics (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs], opioids, others) and gastric acid-suppressing agents (proton pump inhibitors [PPI] and histamine-2 receptor antagonists [H2RAs]) between years of 2014-2018 from IQVIA Turkey.

Evaluation of health-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of undergraduate students by cardiovascular risk factors.

Aim: To determine the presence of cardiovascular (CV) risk (CVR) factors in university students and evaluate how these factors are affected from the knowledge, attitudes, and habits of the individuals regarding healthy lifestyle.

Background: Starting from early ages, lifestyle habits such as lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating, and inappropriate drug use increase CV and metabolic risks of individuals.

Methods: In April-May 2018, sociodemographic characteristics of 770 undergraduate students, in addition to their knowledge, attitudes, and habits regarding their nutrition and physical activity status were obtained through face-to-face questionnaires.

Generic drug prescribing in primary care: A nationwide analysis.

Introduction: Dissemination of generic drug (GD) use could provide significant savings on drug expenditures and contribute to the long-term sustainability of healthcare. We aimed to exhibit the nationwide trend of GD use in primary care and investigate potentially relevant drug and patient factors.

Methods: Prescriptions written by primary care physicians in Turkey between 2013 and 2016 were analysed using the National Prescribing Information System.

Evaluation of the pregnant women's approaches regarding drug utilization.

Objective: Drug utilization habits of the pregnant are a critical aspect of rational use of the medicine (RUM). This study aimed to analyze the RUM related attitudes and the behaviors of women during their pregnancies.

Methods: The data were collected between May 2016-October 2016 by conducting surveys to 71 pregnant women admitted to the private and governmental hospitals in five districts of Northern Cyprus.

Utilization of biotechnological drugs in rare diseases requiring the use of off-label drugs in children in Turkey.

Background/aim: Pediatric patients, especially those with rare diseases, represent a population that has a high tendency towards off- label drug use (OLDU) and needs a more careful practice of pharmacotherapy than in adults. We aimed to investigate biotechnological drug use in children with rare diseases requiring OLDU.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study examined all single-diagnosed OLDU applications (n = 5792) for 4992 children (<18- year) in Turkey.

Off-label drug use in pediatric patients: a comparative analysis with nationwide routine prescription data.

Background: Children constitute a special population for off-label drug use (OLDU), yet limited drug-focused data exist regarding pediatric OLDU in clinical practice. This study aimed to investigate pediatric OLDU practice and compare it with pediatric drug utilization patterns of routine prescribing data.

Methods: This cross-sectional study examined all approved pediatric OLDU applications, compared with electronic prescription data on national Prescription Information System of Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency in 2015.

Knowledge, opinions and attitudes of primary care physicians about generic drugs: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Generic drug (GD) use is affected by many factors, including physicians' approach.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, opinions and attitudes of primary care physicians (PCPs) about GDs and potentially associated factors.

Methods: An adequately representative sample (n = 354) of PCPs was determined via stratified and simple random sample selection method in this descriptive, cross-sectional study.

Evaluation of injectable metamizole utilization in children and adults in primary care.

Objective: Use of injectable metamizole in the outpatient setting is controversial due to safety concerns. We aimed to compare injectable metamizole prescribing patterns for children and adults with further evaluation of nationwide metamizole consumption trend.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, 100 injectable drug-containing prescriptions written in each month of 2010 in 32 provinces of Turkey were selected.

Baseline characteristics predicting clinical outcomes and serious adverse events in middle-aged hypertensive women: a subanalysis of the SPRINT in women aged <65 years.

Background/aim: The predictability of clinical outcomes in hypertension in specific patient groups, especially underrepresented populations is the key to rational treatment. This study aimed to investigate the impact of baseline characteristics of <65-year-old hypertensive women with an increased risk of cardiovascular events, managed with standard- or intensive-approach, on their clinical outcomes and serious adverse events (SAEs).

Materials And Methods: Baseline characteristics of <65-year-old hypertensive women (n = 1247) in SPRINT, a multicenter randomized trial to compare standard and intensive antihypertensive treatment, were analyzed with Cox-regression method to determine potential predictors of the clinical outcomes and SAEs.

Investigation of injectable drug utilization in primary care: A focus on different age groups in pediatric population.

Objective: The suitability of the injectables may vary across different age groups especially for children; therefore, knowledge on their usage patterns is critical in terms of rational pharmacotherapy. This study aimed to investigate pediatric injectable drug utilization in primary care with a focus on different age groups.

Method: By simple sampling method, 100 prescriptions that contained at least one injectable drug were randomly selected for each month of the year in 32 provinces of Turkey (n=38.

Footprints of Clinical Pharmacology in Turkey: Past, Present, and Future.

Clinical pharmacology is an interdisciplinary field that encompasses all components of the relationship between drugs and humans. All clinical pharmacology professionals aim to support an improved quality of drug-oriented health services by providing teaching, research, and routine health care services that ensure more tolerable and more effective, suitable, and cost-effective use of drugs. Subsections of clinical pharmacology include clinical trials, pharmacoepidemiology and drug use, pharmacovigilance, pharmacoeconomics, the rational use of medicines, pharmacotherapy consultation, drug monitoring, counseling to authorities and industry, pharmacogenetics, and other practices.

Relative risk of tuberculosis in patients with rheumatic diseases managed with anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha therapy: A nationwide cohort study.

What Is Known And Objective: Anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF-α) therapy is known to raise the risk of granulomatous infections, leading to development of risk management strategies at national or global level. This study aimed to determine the relative risk (RR) of tuberculosis (TB) due to anti-TNF-α usage in patients with rheumatologic diseases (RDs) in a nationwide basis.

Method: This retrospective cohort study included patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) that treated with or without anti-TNF-α agents, as registered in the national prescription information system between years 2013 and 2015.