Characterization of Antidepressant Consumption in a Portuguese Inland Population

Soares, Sofia; Rosado, Tiago; Santos, Vítor Hugo; Rei, Cristina; Amantegui, Patricia; Pissarra da Costa, António; Chaves, Telma; Valente, Rita; Duarte, Fábio; Pacheco, Susana; Martins, Marco; Dias, Kátia; Costa, Patricia; Costa, Rui; Castro, Sílvia; Sousa, Diana; Figueiredo, Diana; Soares, Isabel; Mouta, Salomé; Jesus, Bianca; Pires, Ana; Ribeiro, Cândida; Lobo, Sónia; Correia, Leonor; Malés, Sofia; Vale, Fátima; Moita, Carina; Moura, Carolina; Sousa, Joana; Afonso, Luís Rafael; Costa, Rita Santinho; Barroso, Mário; Gallardo, Eugenia

doi:10.3390/healthcare13172177

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Open AccessArticle

Characterization of Antidepressant Consumption in a Portuguese Inland Population

by

Sofia Soares

^1,2

,

Tiago Rosado

^1,2,3,*

,

Vítor Hugo Santos

^1,4,

Cristina Rei

⁵,

Patricia Amantegui

⁵,

António Pissarra da Costa

⁶,

Telma Chaves

⁶,

Rita Valente

⁶,

Fábio Duarte

⁶,

Susana Pacheco

⁶,

Marco Martins

⁶,

Kátia Dias

⁶,

Patricia Costa

⁶,

Rui Costa

⁶,

Sílvia Castro

⁷,

Diana Sousa

⁷,

Diana Figueiredo

⁷,

Isabel Soares

⁷,

Salomé Mouta

⁷

,

Bianca Jesus

⁷,

Ana Pires

⁷,

Cândida Ribeiro

⁷,

Sónia Lobo

⁷,

Leonor Correia

⁷,

Sofia Malés

⁷,

Fátima Vale

⁸,

Carina Moita

⁸

,

Carolina Moura

^8,9,

Joana Sousa

⁸,

Luís Rafael Afonso

¹⁰

,

Rita Santinho Costa

¹⁰,

Mário Barroso

^11,12 and

Eugenia Gallardo

^1,2,3,*

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¹

RISE-Health, Departamento de Ciências Médicas, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, Avenida Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal

²

Laboratório de Fármaco-Toxicologia—Ubimedical, Universidade da Beira Interior, Estrada Municipal 506, 6200-284 Covilhã, Portugal

³

Centro Académico Clínico das Beiras (CACB)—Missão de Problemas Relacionados com Toxicofilias, Avenida Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal

⁴

Departamento de Psiquiatria e Saúde Mental, Unidade Local de Saúde Cova da Beira, Alameda Pêro da Covilhã, 6200-251 Covilhã, Portugal

⁵

Serviço de Patologia Clínica, Unidade Local de Saúde Cova da Beira, Alameda Pêro da Covilhã, 6200-251 Covilhã, Portugal

⁶

Irmãs Hospitaleiras Guarda—Casa de Saúde Bento Menni, Rua José dos Santos no. 40, Bairro da Luz, 6300-575 Guarda, Portugal

⁷

Departamento de Psiquiatria e Saúde Mental, Unidade Local de Saúde da Guarda, Avenida Rainha Dona Amélia, 6300-858 Guarda, Portugal

⁸

Serviço de Patologia Clínica, Unidade Local de Saúde da Guarda, Avenida Rainha Dona Amélia, 6300-858 Guarda, Portugal

⁹

Biotechnology Research, Innovation and Design for Health Products, Instituto Politécnico da Guarda (BRIDGE-IPG), Avenida Dr. Francisco Sá Carneiro no. 50, 6300-559 Guarda, Portugal

¹⁰

Unidade Local de Saúde Cova da Beira—Unidade de Saúde Familiar Herminius, Alameda Pêro da Covilhã no. 2, 6200-507 Covilhã, Portugal

¹¹

Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal e Ciências Forenses, Delegação do Sul, Serviço de Química e Toxicologia Forenses, Rua Manuel Bento de Sousa no. 3, 1169-201 Lisboa, Portugal

¹²

AlphaBiolabs, 14 Webster Court, Carina Park, Warrington WA5 8WD, UK

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^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Healthcare 2025, 13(17), 2177; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13172177

Submission received: 10 July 2025 / Revised: 19 August 2025 / Accepted: 27 August 2025 / Published: 31 August 2025

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Abstract

Background/Objectives: Mental disorders are a growing global concern, with depression being among the most prevalent. Portugal ranks second in antidepressant consumption within the OECD, following a threefold increase between 2000 and 2020. In inland regions such as Beira Interior, reduced healthcare services and distance from major hospitals further complicate access to care. This study analysed 142 patients from Beira Interior undergoing antidepressant therapy to characterise their demographic and clinical profile and to assess associations with adverse effects. Methods: A cross-sectional survey collected demographic data, clinical diagnoses, prescribed antidepressants, concomitant medications, and reported adverse effects. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed. Results: Most participants were female (81.0%), with a mean age of 57.8 years. Major depression was the most common diagnosis (76.1%). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (47.4%) and trazodone (27.8%) were the most prescribed agents. Treatment had lasted one to five years in 59.9% of cases. Concomitant use of benzodiazepines (76.8%) and antipsychotics (48.6%) was frequent. Reported adverse effects included anticholinergic symptoms (38.7%) and confusion/agitation (26.8%). Women were more likely to use serotonin modulators, while patients >64 years had higher odds of using tetracyclic/unicyclic antidepressants, serotonin modulators, and multiple antidepressants. These classes were significantly associated with increased adverse effects. Conclusions: The findings reveal important risks related to polypragmasia and adverse reactions, underscoring the need for individualised prescribing, rigorous monitoring, and strict adherence to guidelines. Larger, stratified, and longitudinal studies are needed to clarify causality and optimise treatment outcomes.

Keywords: antidepressants consumption; Portuguese population; surveys; characterization; statistical data

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MDPI and ACS Style

Soares, S.; Rosado, T.; Santos, V.H.; Rei, C.; Amantegui, P.; Pissarra da Costa, A.; Chaves, T.; Valente, R.; Duarte, F.; Pacheco, S.; et al. Characterization of Antidepressant Consumption in a Portuguese Inland Population. Healthcare 2025, 13, 2177. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13172177

AMA Style

Soares S, Rosado T, Santos VH, Rei C, Amantegui P, Pissarra da Costa A, Chaves T, Valente R, Duarte F, Pacheco S, et al. Characterization of Antidepressant Consumption in a Portuguese Inland Population. Healthcare. 2025; 13(17):2177. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13172177

Chicago/Turabian Style

Soares, Sofia, Tiago Rosado, Vítor Hugo Santos, Cristina Rei, Patricia Amantegui, António Pissarra da Costa, Telma Chaves, Rita Valente, Fábio Duarte, Susana Pacheco, and et al. 2025. "Characterization of Antidepressant Consumption in a Portuguese Inland Population" Healthcare 13, no. 17: 2177. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13172177

APA Style

Soares, S., Rosado, T., Santos, V. H., Rei, C., Amantegui, P., Pissarra da Costa, A., Chaves, T., Valente, R., Duarte, F., Pacheco, S., Martins, M., Dias, K., Costa, P., Costa, R., Castro, S., Sousa, D., Figueiredo, D., Soares, I., Mouta, S., ... Gallardo, E. (2025). Characterization of Antidepressant Consumption in a Portuguese Inland Population. Healthcare, 13(17), 2177. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13172177

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Characterization of Antidepressant Consumption in a Portuguese Inland Population

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