[Utilization of cardiac glycosides in Czechoslovakia--does it correspond to need?]

The data are given on the consumption of cardiac glycosides (CD) in the CSSR over the past 18 years (1970-1987). Consumption expressed in terms of defined daily doses (DDD) permitted to construct time series of the consumption of this group of pharmacotherapeutic agents as a whole as well as individual CG and to compare the data thus obtained with similar data from abroad. The results indicate that the consumption of CG as a whole culminated in Czechoslovakia in 1983 (27.6 DDD per a population of 1000 per day = 27.6 DDD/1000/d) and that there has been a slow decline ever since. Compared with foreign data, Czechoslovakia's quantitative consumption of CG is roughly between countries noted for traditionally high consumption (GDR 84.8 DDD/1000/d) and those with low consumption (Scandinavian countries with the exception of Sweden, about 10 DDD/1000/d). Unlike Czechoslovakia, however, all other countries with well established CG consumption have been exhibiting a relatively steep and lasting decline in CG consumption since the late 1970s. This reduction reflects modern trends of CG pharmacotherapy, especially stricted consideration of the uses as distinct from the risks of CG administration, as well as some of the recent efforts to terminate long-term CG treatment particularly in vaguely indicated cases. As for individual CG consumption, Czechoslovakia, similarly as other countries, has been favouring more rational prescription of oral digoxin at the expense of the oral form of lanatoside C, while parenteral digoxin has for all practical purposes become a substitute for strophantin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)