Comparison of the sales profile of azithromycin before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the interior of Bahia

Abstract

Objective: to characterize the profile of azithromycin sales during the COVID-19 pandemic and compare this profile with the previous year in a municipality in the interior of Bahia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with an analytical descriptive design. The sample data were extracted from the database of the National Controlled Products Management System of the National Health Surveillance Agency, municipality of Jequié, years 2019, 2020 and 2021. Pearson’s Chi-square test was used to compare the proportions of categorical variables. The relationship between continuous variables was carried out using the simple linear regression model. A significance level of 0.05 was adopted. Results: It was found that the coated tablet was the best-selling in all years, especially in 2020, representing 89% of sales; the 18-59 age group reached the highest frequency in 2020 with 73.5%. The prescriber’s class council was, predominantly, the Regional Council of Medicine, which had a total of 92.7% of prescriptions in 2019, 91.4% in 2020 and 92.2% in 2021. There was a statistical association between pharmaceutical form and sex. A correlation was observed between the quantity of azithromycin sold and the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 (r=0.931, p<0.001, R2=0.867). Conclusion: There was an increase in the sale of the antimicrobial azithromycin, with a correlation between the quantity sold and the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, linked to encouraging the irrational use of medicines, which reinforces the need to include the pharmacist as an agent essential in health promotion and health education actions