[The effect of MONIKA on the utilization of cardiovascular drugs in districts where the system is used]

In six districts of the Czech Republic where the MONICA programme is implemented as well as Hypertension control of the population, the authors compared the drug consumption used in the treatment of hypertension in comparable DDD/1000/D units during the period from September 1984 to August 1985 and the corresponding period two years later. For this purpose four groups were selected according to the ATC classification: diuretics, hypotensive drugs (antihypertensive drugs in the narrower sense of the word), single-component betablockers and fixed combinations of beta-blockers with hypotensive drugs. Six districts selected to match the investigated ones were selected as controls, and the drug consumption was also investigated. The results for the group of diuretics, hypotensive drugs and single component beta-blockers revealed unequivocally a greater increase of consumption in the districts included in the MONICA survey than in the control districts. Only the group of beta-blockers combined with hypotensive drugs revealed a greater increase of consumption in the control districts. The districts with the highest drug consumption in the investigated drug groups is according to other surveys the only one in the country where in recent years a decline of cardiovascular mortality, in particular cerebrovascular mortality, was recorded.