[Use of systemic antibiotics in Valladolid (1996-2000)]

A longitudinal retrospective study was conducted to analyze the changes in the use of systemic antibiotics from 1996 to 2000 in the province of Valladolid, Spain. The use of systemic antibiotics was determined according to the defined daily dose and showed a progressive increase during the first four years of the study, followed by a large decrease in the year 2000. When examined by subgroup, wide spectrum penicillins accounted for almost 60% of the antibiotics consumed, and were therefore responsible for this change. Macrolides represented 16.4% of the consumption, which increased during the whole study period. Quinolones, with 9.3% of the total, showed a slow but steady increase. Cephalosporins accounted for 8.1%, with their use decreasing since 1998. It was concluded that wide spectrum penicillins were the most used systemic antibiotics in the study population, although a decreasing trend in their use and an increase in the use of macrolides and quinolones was observed.