Nationwide trends in the use of antitussive agents in Japan before, during, and after the COVID-19 Pandemic: A descriptive study using a National Database.

Antitussive agents are widely prescribed in Japan regardless of the underlying disease, which contradicts clinical guidelines. External factors such as the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent changes may have influenced these prescription patterns; however, the extent remains unclear. In this descriptive study, we used NDB Open Data (2018-2022) to analyze the annual prescription volumes, costs, and drug categories for antitussive agents (including centrally acting and Kampo medicines) and medications for chronic diseases. Prescriptions for both centrally acting agents and Kampo medicines remained stable in 2018-2019, declined in 2020-2021, and partially recovered in 2022. The prescription costs showed a similar trend. These changes were not observed with medications used for chronic diseases. The decline in prescriptions during the pandemic may reflect reduced healthcare use and fewer acute respiratory infections, suggesting that antitussives were likely used for such conditions. These findings highlight the need for more appropriate evidence-based prescription practices.