Use of Psychotropic Drugs During the Argentine Quarantine Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Socio-economic crisis situations usually generate an increase in psychiatric pathologies. If we add the state of confinement due to quarantine, the picture can get even worse.Methods: Descriptive observational study. Data were obtained from medicines suppliers, which provide pharmaceutical specialties. Finding was statistically analyzed.Results: During the semester from April to September 2020, they used 281,262 DDDs of psychotropic drugs, in the previous semester the amount was 264,486 DDDs and the previous one was 252,840 DDDs. Between all semesters there was an increase in the consumption of the four types of psychotropic drugs, although the increase during the quarantine was greater, almost double for antidepressants and hypnotics. Antipsychotics maintained a non-significant increase.Conclusions: This work shows the increase in the use of psychotropic drugs during a period of socio-economic crisis that worsened with the quarantine by COVID-19.Funds: This work did not receive funding of any kind.Declaration of Interests: I also declare that there is no conflict of interest.