TY - JOUR

T1 - Changes in the use of glucose-lowering drugs

T2 - A Danish nationwide study

AU - Pottegård, Anton

AU - Andersen, Jacob H.

AU - Søndergaard, Jens

AU - Thomsen, Reimar W.

AU - Vilsbøll, Tina

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Aim: To investigate changes in the pattern of drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes in Denmark from 2005 to 2021. Materials and Methods: A nationwide, population-based drug utilization study based on medical databases covering the Danish population was conducted. We assessed incident and prevalent use patterns among all 441 205 individuals initiating at least one non-insulin, glucose-lowering drug. Results: The rate of new users of non-insulin, glucose-lowering drugs increased from 2005, peaked in 2011, decreased to stable levels during 2013 to 2019, then increased dramatically during 2020-2021. The prevalence of use increased from 2.1% (in 2005) to 5.0% (in 2021) of the entire adult population. In 2021, metformin comprised 39% of all glucose-lowering drug consumption, followed by insulin (17%), sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2is) (17%), glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) (16%) and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (7.5%). Overall, 56% of users were on monotherapy, 28% used dual therapy, while 13% and 2.8% used three and four drug classes, respectively. Both the intensity and diversity of therapies increased substantially over time, with 15 different treatment regimens each covering more than 1% of users in 2021. General practitioners prescribed 88% of all glucose-lowering drugs. Marked shifts towards GLP-1RA initiation by general practitioners and SGLT-2i initiation by specialists were observed, and changing user profiles suggested increasing use for non-diabetes indications. Conclusions: The rate of new users of non-insulin, glucose-lowering drugs has increased in recent years and the prevalence of glucose-lowering drug use increases steadily. Glucose-lowering drugs are mainly prescribed by general practitioners, and the intensity, diversity and indications of glucose-lowering treatment are increasing.

AB - Aim: To investigate changes in the pattern of drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes in Denmark from 2005 to 2021. Materials and Methods: A nationwide, population-based drug utilization study based on medical databases covering the Danish population was conducted. We assessed incident and prevalent use patterns among all 441 205 individuals initiating at least one non-insulin, glucose-lowering drug. Results: The rate of new users of non-insulin, glucose-lowering drugs increased from 2005, peaked in 2011, decreased to stable levels during 2013 to 2019, then increased dramatically during 2020-2021. The prevalence of use increased from 2.1% (in 2005) to 5.0% (in 2021) of the entire adult population. In 2021, metformin comprised 39% of all glucose-lowering drug consumption, followed by insulin (17%), sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2is) (17%), glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) (16%) and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (7.5%). Overall, 56% of users were on monotherapy, 28% used dual therapy, while 13% and 2.8% used three and four drug classes, respectively. Both the intensity and diversity of therapies increased substantially over time, with 15 different treatment regimens each covering more than 1% of users in 2021. General practitioners prescribed 88% of all glucose-lowering drugs. Marked shifts towards GLP-1RA initiation by general practitioners and SGLT-2i initiation by specialists were observed, and changing user profiles suggested increasing use for non-diabetes indications. Conclusions: The rate of new users of non-insulin, glucose-lowering drugs has increased in recent years and the prevalence of glucose-lowering drug use increases steadily. Glucose-lowering drugs are mainly prescribed by general practitioners, and the intensity, diversity and indications of glucose-lowering treatment are increasing.

KW - antidiabetics

KW - drug utilization

KW - glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists

KW - glucose-lowering medication

KW - pharmacoepidemiology

KW - sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors

KW - type 2 diabetes

U2 - 10.1111/dom.14947

DO - 10.1111/dom.14947

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36514856

AN - SCOPUS:85145610611

VL - 25

SP - 1002

EP - 1010

JO - Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism

JF - Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism

SN - 1462-8902

IS - 4

ER -