[Evaluation of ambulatory antibiotic use in Hungary using drug-specific quality indicators]

Rational use of antibiotics is an important tool in combating antibiotic resistance.

The aim of the authors was to evaluate the quality of ambulatory antibiotic use in Hungary.

Crude antibiotic sales data for the period between 1996 and 2010 were converted into DDD (Defined Daily Dose) per 1000 inhabitants and per year. The recently developed and validated drug-specific quality indicators were used to evaluate antibiotic use.

Beside constant quantity (18.0±1.8 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day), the authors detected major changes in the composition of antibiotic use. Ratios of the consumption of broad to narrow spectrum beta-lactams and macrolides increased eight-fold (1996: 2.2 vs. 2010: 15.8) and consumption of fluoroquinolones tripled. Out of the ten surveyed drug-specific quality indicators, Hungary belonged to the European elite in case of three, while considering the remaining seven, Hungary ranked among the weak or weakest European countries.

In quantity Hungary an ambulatory antibiotic use resembles to Scandinavian countries while it mimics antibiotic consumption patterns of southern countries.